Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2021

Kleine Zalze is a family owned winery three kilometres outside Stellenbosch and winemaking there can be traced back to 1695. When Kobus Basson and his family bought the property in 1996, the estate was scientifically mapped to find the best terroir for different grape varieties and seventeen years of subsequent investment have seen Kleine Zalze become a highly regarded South African winery.

The vineyards are planted on a variety of slopes soils and aspects and are exposed to coastal breezes from the ocean 15 kilometres away. This cool climate yields delicate flavors while at the same time providing optimal growing and ripening conditions.

The 2020 vintage of this Chardonnay was picked earlier than in 2019. Yields in the vineyards were back to normal after three years of drought. Grapes were harvested in the early morning and after crushing, the juice was given extended skin contact for at least 12 hours before pressing. Only the free run portion of the juice was used for this selection. After a day of settling the juice was racked to a fermentation vessel where it was inoculated with a slow fermenting yeast strain. The juice was racked into barrel one day after inoculation and left to ferment at low temperature until dry. The wine spent a total of eight months in barrel before blending and bottling. A combination of 60% new and the rest second and third fill 400l French oak barrels were used.