Durbanville Hills Chardonnay 2016

Colour: Pale straw with a green hue
Nose: Aromas of yellow citrus, stone fruit, orange blossom and a hint of sweet oak.
Taste: An elegant, well-balanced wine that fills the mouth with sweet fruit, orange zest, leading to a fresh finish.

Serve with Chinese-style deep-fried pork, macaroni and cheese, nut-crusted chicken, prawns served with cashews and selection of button, shiitake and oyster mushrooms fried with butter, garlic and onion.

variety : Chardonnay [ 100% Chardonnay ]
winemaker : Martin Moore and Gunther Kellerman
wine of origin : Durbanville
analysis : alc : 13.38 % vol  rs : 1.68 g/l  pH : 3.31  ta : 5.82 g/l  
type : White  style : Dry  body : Soft   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Screwcap  

Background
Nine leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville district joined forces with Distell to create Durbanville Hills with the aim of promoting the regional individuality of this prime wine-growing area. The striking Durbanville Hills cellar sits on the side of a series of rolling hills with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay - the very geography that lies at the heart of what makes the wines so unique.

The Durbanville ward is considered one of the Cape’s coolest wine regions, thanks to the sea breezes that drift inland from False Bay and Table Bay and the late afternoon mists that bathe the slopes. These conditions are ideal for the slow ripening of the grapes, allowing them to develop their full-flavoured, intense character. Grapes are sourced only from the shareholder- growers, all of whom farm within the limited appellation of Durbanville. Meticulous canopy management promotes concentration of varietal flavour.

Cellar master Martin Moore uses highly advanced cellar technology to ensure optimal extraction of colour and flavour. Sustainable practices include maintaining the disciplines imposed by International Environmental Standard ISO 140001 such as in the treatment of waste water back to irrigation quality. In all its vineyards the growing practices prescribed by IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) are followed. These are designed to sustain natural resources. In addition, the members protect on their farms 320 ha of endangered Renosterveld as part of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI).

in the vineyard : The vineyards (vineyard consultant: Hen van Graan) 
The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards located mostly in the lower Durbanville foothills on the southern slopes, some 250 metres above sea level and grown in dark red soils.

about the harvest: The vineyards, yielding around 9 tons per hectare, were harvested from the mid to late February between 24° - 26° Balling, when the grapes were showing ripe, yellow colours.

in the cellar : The grapes from each vineyard were individually vinified. The bulk of the wine was fermented in steel tanks at temperatures between 12-15°C and left on the lees for four months to accentuate the pronounced fruit character. A total of 15% of the wine was fermented and matured for four months on tight grain French oak staves with a medium toasting which adds complexity and subtle oak flavours without dominating the fruit.

find our wines in :

OTHER VINTAGES

Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay