Lismore Cape South Coast Chardonnay 2021
Samantha O’Keefe performed miracles to produce this wine; because a fire destroyed part of her vineyards and all of her finished wine in late 2019, she had to select wines from different vineyards in Stellenbosch, with 15% also coming from the upper Hemel- en-Aarde valley in Hermanus, whose grapes bore close resemblance to those lost on her vineyard. The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness and whole bunch pressed, slowly extracting the juice at a rate of 600 litres per tonne. The Chardonnay was naturally fermented and aged in 300 litre French oak barrels, with 20% new oak. Although the oak gives this wine its luxurious texture, the philosophy was to ensure the fruit, acidity and pH drove the wine’s flavour, rather than obtaining overt, extracted buttery notes from the oak. A complex, expressive bouquet of citrus and tropical fruits layered with brioche, honey and walnut. The palate is carried through by a distinct minerality and crisp acidity through to a lingering citrus finish.
