Technical Analysis
DeMorgenzon's Chardonnay vineyards benefit from cool morning sunlight and moderating sea breezes off nearby False Bay.
Tasting note
Clear and bright, and a pale yellow colour. The nose shows notes of dried apricot, peach pith and a rich thyme and butter note that draws you into the glass. The bouquet pulls through to the palate, and is complimented with notes of delicate elderflower, lemon rind, rich orange marmalade and a delightful nuttiness. These flavours are brought together well with an elegant acidity and textured richness creating depth and a wine that truly lingers on the palate.
(Magnums available - enquire for vintage)
Vintage conditions
On the back of a cold and wet winter, the 2020 growing season began very early, with homogenous budburst and even shoot growth. Summer was relatively mild, without the heatwaves often experienced in the Cape. The resultant crop retained high levels of natural acidity and abundant concentration of flavour. Particularly exceptional are the white wines of 2020, whilst the reds display early promise thanks to intense colour and tannin concentration.
Vinification details
The grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. Juice was transferred to French oak barrels (30% new) with minimal settling, where fermentation occurred naturally. About 70% of the volume completed malolactic fermentation during an 10-month ageing on the gross lees. The wine was bottled with minimal stabilisation and clarified without filtration.
AWARDS
IWSC: Silver
Platter: 93 pts
Vinous: 91 pts
Technical Analysis
DeMorgenzon's Chardonnay vineyards benefit from cool morning sunlight and moderating sea breezes off nearby False Bay.
Tasting note
Golden with green hues. Hot toasted brioche with zesty marmalade; a backbone of lime and lemongrass with floral notes of honeysuckle and frangipani on the palate. Warm, rich vanilla and a creamy almond finish.
(Magnums available - enquire for vintage)
Vintage conditions
2019 was a cooler vintage than the previous hot and dry years. Whilst the vineyards benefited from decent winter rainfall there were some latent stress effects from the previous year’s drought conditions. This resulted in some uneven budding and careful harvesting was necessary to achieve a total pick of optimum ripeness. Cool conditions during the early part of the ripening resulted in high acidities and low pH, resulting in wines that are fresh, precise and bright.
Vinification details
The grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. Juice was transferred to French oak barrels (30% new) with minimal settling, where fermentation occurred naturally. About 70% of the volume completed malolactic fermentation during an 10-month ageing on the gross lees. The wine was bottled with minimal stabilisation and clarified without filtration.
AWARDS
IWC: Gold
DWWA & IWSC: Silver
Platter: 58
Tim Atkin MW: 94 pts
Vinous: 94 pts
Technical Analysis
DeMorgenzon's Chardonnay vineyards benefit from cool morning sunlight and moderating sea breezes off nearby False Bay.
Tasting note
Golden with green hues. Hot toasted brioche with zesty marmalade; a backbone of lime and lemongrass with floral notes of honeysuckle and frangipani on the palate. Warm, rich vanilla and a creamy almond finish.
Vintage conditions
2018 was a dry vintage in the Cape. Thunderstorms in early spring added a lot of nitrogen to the soils resulting in very healthy canopies entering the growing season. The daytime temperatures during the ripening period were cooler than those experienced in the very hot 2016 and 2017 vintages, with relatively cool evenings. Conditions were very dry though, with vine stress management being key to success. Fruit harvesting tended to be very early in 2018, with a focus on bringing fruit into the winery with lower sugar and pH levels.
Vinification details
The grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. Juice was transferred to French oak barrels (30% new) with minimal settling, where fermentation occurred naturally. About 70% of the volume completed malolactic fermentation during an 10-month ageing on the gross lees. The wine was bottled with minimal stabilisation and clarified without filtration.
AWARDS
DWWA: Gold
IWC: Silver
Tim Atkin MW: 96 pts
Neil Martin: 95 pts
Technical Analysis
DeMorgenzon's Chardonnay vineyards benefit from cool morning sunlight and moderating sea breezes off nearby False Bay.
Tasting note
Golden with green hues. Hot toasted brioche with zesty marmalade; a backbone of lime and lemongrass with floral notes of honeysuckle and frangipani on the palate. Warm, rich vanilla and a creamy almond finish.
Vintage conditions
2017 was another hot and dry vintage in the Cape. Although the day time temperatures were warm, evening temperatures were much cooler than normal resulting in wines with incredible weight and texture, yet with great acidity and length. The dryness of the season resulted in minimal disease pressure with fruit arriving at the winery in very good condition. The grapes were handpicked and selected in the early morning at between 22º and 23º balling.
Vinification details
The grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. Juice was transferred to French oak barrels (30% new) with minimal settling, where fermentation occurred naturally. About 70% of the volume completed malolactic fermentation during an 10-month ageing on the gross lees. The wine was bottled with minimal stabilisation and clarified without filtration.
Technical Analysis
DeMorgenzon's Chardonnay vineyards benefit from cool morning sunlight and moderating sea breezes off nearby False Bay.
Tasting note
Golden with green hues. Hot toasted brioche with zesty marmalade; a backbone of lime and lemongrass with floral notes of honeysuckle and frangipani on the palate. Warm, rich vanilla and a creamy almond finish.
Vintage conditions
2016 was a very early season with early flowering dates followed by rapid ripening in the early part of the summer. Weather conditions during the ripening period of the Chardonnay were cool to begin with, with very warm conditions close to harvest, necessitating a rapid harvest decision. Fruit quality was perfect with no disease. Optimally ripe fruit with no raisins was harvested.
Vinification details
The grapes were hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. Juice was transferred to French oak barrels (40% new) with minimal settling, where fermentation occurred naturally. About 35% of the volume completed malolactic fermentation during an 11 month ageing on the gross lees. The wine was bottled with minimal stabilisation and clarified without filtration.
