Du Toitskloof Chardonnay / Viognier 2013

The wine displays bright, golden-green hues and delicate smoky flavours from eleven months in French barriques. The end result is a smooth, creamy wine with an apricot and peach character and an appealing crisp aftertaste.

On its own, or with curries, waterblommetjie bredie or a range of fish dishes.Download Du Toitskloof's Waterblommetjie recipe (pdf format).

variety : Chardonnay [ 50% Chardonnay, 50% Viognier ]
winery : DTK Wines
winemaker : Shawn Thompson, Chris Geldenhuys & Willie Stofberg
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 14.35 % vol  rs : 4.6 g/l  pH : 3.42  ta : 6.2 g/l  so2 : 132 mg/l  fso2 : 44 mg/l  
type : White  style : Dry  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  

AWARDS

ageing : Enjoy now or drink within three years of bottling.

in the vineyard : The grapes of both these cultivars were harvested from vineyards within 5 km from the cellar. The vines, grafted onto Richter 99 rootstock, were relatively young at the time of harvesting - ten years in the case of the Chardonnay and five years in the case of the Viognier - and in both instances they grow in deep, sandy loam. Leaf canopies were well managed and protected the grapes against excessive sunlight. Based on soil moisture levels, as measured by neutron hydrometers in the vineyards, controlled irrigation was applied. This practice ensures small berries filled with flavour.

about the harvest: The Chardonnay was picked mid-February, early in the morning when it was still cool, at 24° to 25° Balling. The Viognier was also picked early in the morning, but in the last week of February at 26° at 27° Balling as the cultivar tends to express its flavours best at slightly higher sugars.

in the cellar : Vinified separately, both cultivars received skin contact for six to eight hours after crushing. The free-run juice was allowed to settle under reductive, cooled conditions after which it was inoculated with selected yeast strains. Fermentation took place in 225 litre and 300 litre French oak barrels. After about three weeks when fermentation had been completed, the barrels were filled to the top and malolactic fermentation induced. After three months when this process had been completed, the two cultivars were blended and the wine returned to the barrels for further ageing.

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OTHER VINTAGES

Chardonnay
Chardonnay