"KLEINE ZALZE" CHARDONNAY
STELLENBOSCH - SOUTH AFRICA

Viticulture:
The relatively cool ripening season provided optimal conditions for the ripening of Chardonnay fruit. Grapes were carefully selected from specific vineyards. With their small berries and intense cultivar fruit flavours, the portion of grapes from the Stellenbosch region added to the complexity in the wine.

Vinification:
After early-morning harvesting at a sugar level of 24°B, the grapes were left in static drainers for 6 hours to extract flavour from the skins. The fermentation process was started in stainless steel tanks after which the wine fermented in 20% new, 20% second fill and 60% third fill French oak barrels. After the alcoholic fermentation was completed, malolactic fermentation commenced in the barrel and the wine was left on the lees for 4 months. Half-way through malolactic fermentation the wine was sulphured, racked and filtered before bottling. Barrel maturation took place in 20% new, 20% second fill and 60% third fill French oak barrels.

Winemakers Tasting Notes:
A very elegant, well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. The orange peel fruit flavours of the Chardonnay grapes are well integrated with the oak flavours which give the wine a creamy, long, fresh aftertaste.