The Eikendal Chardonnay 2023 is an elegant style of Chardonnay. Notes of orange peel, and floral perfume comes through on the palate, with a fress and tight mouthfeel. A mineral core with strong acidity drives this wine.
100% Chardonnay (Stellenbosch) Vitification: These blocks are planted way up the Helderberg Mountain and are on the highest point of Eikendal overlooking False Bay. It is a combination of bush vines, bush vine/post with no trellised vineyards used – Clone CY95. Spur pruned. 2023 we harvested 6 ton per hectare. Plant density is approximately 4500 vines/ha. Planted East/West. It is planted in decomposed granite with gravel and white clay +/- 60-80cm deep. Fully exposed to the South-easterly winds and receive cool air from False Bay. These vines undergo harsh treatment and left to their own devices, surviving day to day. Vinification: Grapes were handpicked in 18kg lug boxes. This prevents it from crushing and lowers the risk of contamination. It also gives us a chance to sort the grapes at the cellar as well and have consistency from the vineyards to the cellar. It also prevents juice oxidising because of grapes pressing against each other. We do 100% whole bunch pressing which is very delicate on the juice extraction with a juice recovery of around 630L per ton. Settled after 24 hour and racked to stainless steel tanks where it underwent alcoholic fermentation. Before alcoholic fermentation finished 30% of the wine went in to barrels for Malolactic fermentation to also give some creaminess to the wine and a better mouthfeel, adding volume to the end product. The rest of the wine only went to barrel after fermentation. The wine went through batonnage every 2 weeks for 3 months.This Chardonnay spent a total of 10 months in 500l French Oak barrels, 20% new oak, the rest second and third fill barrels. Wine: Sugar: 2.8 g/ℓ; Total acid: 6.2 g/ℓ; pH: 3.46; Alcohol: 13.45