2022 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Kloovenburg, Swartland, South Africa

This delightful Chardonnay has layers of grapefruit, pineapple and lemon on the nose, leading to a palate of tropical banana, lime and citrus, with a creamy textured finish. The oak is subtle and very well balanced.

All grapes are handpicked during the early morning hours and then cooled overnight in a temperature - controlled room at 5 °C. One component is picked at 22° Balling to add freshness and length to the final blend; the other component is picked at 24° Balling to add body and riper flavours. The grapes are then crushed, destemmed and transferred to a stainless-steel tank for 4 hours of skin contact. The free run juice is then drained into a stainless-steel tank to let the juice settle for 24 hours at 8 °C. No enzymes are used during the settling process. The juice is racked from the thick lees to 300 L French oak barrels, 20% new and 80% third and fourth fill. 50% of the wine ferments spontaneously and the balance is inoculated with CY3079 yeast. Fermentation takes up to three months to complete. After fermentation the wine is given a low dose of sulphur and is left on the lees with regular batonnage. The wine spends a total of 10 months in the barrel before it is blended and bottled.

The du Toits of Kloovenburg Wine & Olive Estate set high standards for their wines and have the passion and energy to achieve them and maintain a proud family tradition through decades to come.
The wines are light and elegant with bags of character, very characteristic of the Swartland.