The Winery of Good Hope - Unoaked Chardonnay 2023

Tasting notes

This unoaked Chardonnay is an easy drinking yet classy, affordable wine with more freshness, elegance and depth than you normally find in a wine in this price range. This Chardonnay has complexity and texture while still retaining the verve of the vineyards in Stellenbosch and Robertson which are getting older and more concentrated.

Vineyard

A blend of Chardonnay from two complementary locations. The first, smallest component, comes from Ocean-facing Helderberg vineyards; the second from the Robertson Valley. Each vineyard contributes a complementary and entirely different facet to the eventual blend. The fruit from Stellenbosch has more depth, weight and fruit concentration while the Robertson grapes are grown on limestone soils, which inject a citrus zing, freshness and minerality into the wine.

Vinification

Separate parcels were picked individually at varying degrees of ripeness in order to build good complexity of acidity, fruit, depth and minerality. The grapes were vinified with minimum skin contact, using free run juice only. Cool fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, one part with wild natural yeast, the other with neutral yeast (favoring fruit enhancement). No oaking took place at all. The juice was kept in tank on its lees for 5 months, with occasional batonnage. The components were then blended relatively early to ensure integration and stability of individual varietal freshness. The focus is always on fruit retention, natural amplification of flavors and texture through maturation on primary lees. The natural minerality and acidity gives this wine the lovely refreshing character for which it has become known.

Estate

The Winery of Good Hope is more than just a winery. It’s an approach. An alternative way of thinking, being and doing. Yes, you will find it in the prestigious wine-making region of Stellenbosch, in South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. But they aren’t like other wine producers. Why? Because they’re not into all the flashy stuff that’s often associated with the wine industry. They want to make quality wine with a conscience. At their cellar on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, they make great wines using traditional, natural viticultural and winemaking methods. Their also fully accredited for environmental, ethical, and social-upliftment practices. That’s why they called themselves The Winery of Good Hope.

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