Palmiet Chardonnay 2020
A charming, cool-climate Elgin wine with a perfectly balanced blend of ripe white stone-fruit and crisp acidity. Judicious oak ageing highlights an elegant creamy character to the thirst-quenching finish. A versatile wine, enjoy it on its own or as an accompaniment to salads, seafood and lighter meat dishes.
vineyard
Elgin is one of the naturally coolest vineyard locations in South Africa. Its altitude (500m – 700m above sea level is considerably higher than the 3-400m of Stellenbosch) benefits the location through naturally lower temperatures and higher rainfall. There is greater cloud cover (due to the way clouds form as the air rises over the mountains from the coast and condenses into rainfall). What’s more, in winter, Elgin benefits from much cooler temperatures than Stellenbosch or elsewhere and consequently the vines enter into a deeper dormancy state, resulting in better rest which, in turn, also enhances the longevity of the vine and supports general vine health.
Age of vines
15 Years Old
clone
C95 & C76
yield
5 Tons/ha or around 32 hl/ha
bottled
8 April 2021
harvest statistics
The grapes were harvested at 21.0°B to 23.0°B, starting mid-February. All grapes were handpicked in the early morning during cooler weather, placed into lug boxes (smaller quantities mean reduced compaction and damage to the fruit) and then hand-sorted on the sorting belt.
vinification
The grapes got picked by taste and not Balling reading - this is to ensure good pH and acidity with good structure and aromas. 100% Oxidation was allowed before ferment to add complexity and age-ability. The grapes were softly basket-pressed at a max of 0.85bar to ensure purity and elegance going straight into neutral French Oak barrels for 16 months on the gross lees after which the wine was racked straight to the bottling line mid-2021 and bottled. No pre racking or any movement of the wine. No filtering, fining or SO2 was added to the wine.
maturation
18 Months in 3rd fill, 500L French oak barrels with lees stirring (batonnage) when needed.
analysis
Alcohol 13%, Residual Sugar 1.4g/litre, TA 7.6 g/litre, pH 3.19, TSO2 15ppm
total production
6402 Bottles