Thelema Chardonnay 2014 (6/case) (R154/BOTTLE)

Received a GOLD medal at the International Wine Challenge

 

Aromas of ripe peach, grapefruit marmalade, blossoms and complex yeasty flavours compliment the toasty oak in the wine. The palate is clean with a lovely texture and long finish.

 

MATURATION

 

Good now, will develop well for 3 years.

 

FOOD PAIRING

 

Full flavoured dishes such as lobster, tuna, chicken and pork.

 

VITICULTURAL PRACTICES

 

Varietal Chardonnay – Clones CY3 & CY5
Root stock 101 – 14, R110
Soil type Hutton – decomposed granite
Age of vines Planted – 1985, 1986
Plant density – 3432 vines per hectare
Trellising – Vertical hedge
Pruning – 2-bud spurs every 12cm
Yield – Approximately 12 t/ha
Irrigation – Supplementary drip
Vintage – Very hot and dry vintage, resulting in an early start to the picking, with different varieties
ripening at the same time. A tough vintage for the winery crews!
Picking date – 10 – 28th February
Grape sugar – 22.8 – 24.0 °B
Acidity – 5.6 – 8.24 g/l
pH at harvest – 3.00 – 3.6

 

WINEMAKING PRACTICES

 

Yeasts – D522
Fermentation temp – 19 °C
Method: De-stalk, crush, pressed, settled in horizontal stainless steel tanks and fermented in 228 L
French oak barrels.
Wood maturation: 10 months in French oak barrels, 35% new, balance in 3rd/4th fill
Battonage: Barrels stirred for several months.
Second Fermentation: The majority of this bottling completed malolactic fermentation in barrel
Production – 38 976 bottles

 

WINE DETAILS

 

Residual Sugar 1.8 g/l
pH 3.43
Total acid 6.2 g/l
Alcohol 14% by volume
Maturation: Drinking well now, and will develop more complexity over the next 3 – 5 years.

 

WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS

 

This wine has a beautiful light straw colour. Aromas of ripe peach, grapefruit marmalade, blossoms and complex yeasty flavours compliment the toasty oak in the wine. The palate is clean with a lovely texture and long finish.