Lourensford Estate Chardonnay 2013

Fresh lime and orange blossom flavours dominate the nose with hints of melon and pineapple, complemented by toffee and buttery undertones. An explosion of ripe tropical fruit flavours on the pallet. The natural fermentation gives it a layered fruit dimension that ends in a lusciously juicy finish that is very well integrated and balanced with a bright acidity supported by the subtle use of wood.

This wine can stand up to rich foods such as pastas, poultry and fish with creamy sauces. It will complement mild Indian curries or other coconutty curries as well as salmon or smoked haddock. It will also go with egg-based dishes like quiches or souffles. Creamy, fatty cheeses like Brie and Camembert but also some of the harder cow’s milk cheeses will be great with this wine. Serve this wine between 12° - 14° C for the best results.

variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]
winemaker : Hannes Nel
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol  rs : 1.7 g/l  pH : 3.48  ta : 6.8 g/l  
type : White  style : Dry  body : Full  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Screwcap  

ageing : This vintage can be enjoyed up to 2017 but will reach its best drinking potential towards the end of 2014 and possibly only peak towards the end of 2015.

in the vineyard : 
A cool and wet winter allowed vines to go into proper dormancy. We experienced severe winds at the end of November and extreme heat wave conditions at the end of December. Luckily this did not affect the sensitive flowering and ripening stages too much. We experienced a cool summer with the highest rainfall for February in many years. This resulted in slower ripening and the ability to harvest at lower sugar levels and with good canopy management and perfect harvest decisions we manage to bring the Chardonnay in without any rot or spoilage problems due to the wet conditions during the latter ripening stages. This resulted in refined wines with elegance and good natural acidity.

Altitude: 200m above sea level, overlooking False Bay only 8km away and cooled by its sea breezes.
Age of vines: 7 - 11 years
Rootstock: 101-14 Mgt
Clones: CY548, CY277, CY96, CY 95, CY 76
Slopes: Situated on a slight Western facing slope
Row direction: South-West to North-East
Soil type: Tukulu soil

about the harvest: The harvest dates were 11th February - 6th March 2013.

in the cellar : Cultivar: 100% Chardonnay
Wood: 58% of the blend spent 8 months in French oak barrels of which 15% was 1st fill and 85% 2nd fill or older. 50% of the wood component was fermented naturally in the barrels and the rest started its fermentation in stainless steel tanks and were transferred to barrels halfway during fermentation.
Closure: Aluminium screwcap with Saran/Tin liner

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