Crystallum 'Clay Shales' Chardonnay 2023
The Crystallum 'Clay Shales' Chardonnay is grown in the 'Clay Shales' single vineyard, the name of which is derived from the soil composition here: predominately clay and shale. This combination allows for optimum fruit development while naturally restricting vigour. The vineyard sits at 300 metres above sea level in the mountains behind the town of Hermanus in the Walker Bay region. Altitude and cooling sea breezes slow down the grape ripening process, resulting in grapes with excellent concentration of flavour balanced by a vibrant acidity. At the winery, the grapes were gently pressed as whole clusters to obtain a very clear juice. The juice was left to settle in tanks and then racked into 500-litre French and Austrian oak barrels (25% of which were new), where the wine fermented naturally and remained on its lees for 10 months, gaining textural complexity. It was bottled by hand with no filtration or cold stabilisation to retain maximum intensity of flavour and character. This complex yet fresh Chardonnay displays white pear notes and banoffee pie's richness and depth. The palate is textured, showing notes of lemon peel, salted macadamia, and oatmeal. It is a generous expression of the single vineyard site with an impressive ability to age.
