Technical Analysis
Formerly known as Grand Vin Chardonnay, Glenelly's Estate Reserve is from vines planted in 2007, made in a complex mineral style with notes from barrel ageing.
Tasting note
The Estate Reserve Chardonnay displays a bright crisp colour, a complex nose of quince, citrus peel, lime and butterscotch caramel with hints of pear drop . The palate is lush, with poise and balance, sharp and vibrant citrus and mineral flavours leading the way to a long round textured finish.
Vintage conditions
Post 2020 harvest was dry and hot which led to early leaf fall. As a result, there was a poor establishment of carbohydrate reserves. Rain came later than anticipated at the end of May and delayed the establishment of crop cover. Winter was very wet, although not cold, but cold enough for dormancy to take place. Bud break occurred 14 days late due to cold wet soils and fluctuation in climate. Moderate weather later on led to ideal flowering and fruit set. Big lush canopies developed as a result of moist soils. Veraison and ripening were also delayed by 14 days and took longer to finish their cycles due to moderate conditions.
Vinification details
The grapes were whole bunch pressed and the juice transferred to new and second fill 500L blond toasted barrels after a brief settling. It was naturally fermented at various temperatures and left for 10 months on the lees. Total time in barrel was 11 months.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 92pts
Platter: 94 pts
Technical Analysis
Formerly known as Grand Vin Chardonnay, Glenelly's Estate Reserve is from vines planted in 2007, made in a complex mineral style with notes from barrel ageing.
Tasting note
The Estate Reserve Chardonnay has floral aromas with baked apple, singed citrus rind and toasted chestnuts. A harmony of apple notes, citrus, heather and spiced cinnamon butter are on the palate which is all supported by a vivid acidity. The flavours of pastry and toasted fruit linger to a mouth-watering finish.
Vintage conditions
The moderate growth season and rainfall at the start of the 2020 season laid the foundations for a good harvest. The early cultivars showed good acidity and sugar levels, whereas the later cultivars delivered wines with good concentrations, structure and desired alcohol levels. An exceptionally warm and dry spring resulted in good, even bud burst. The temperatures during the flowering and berry set period were average with significantly less fluctuation than the previous season. Good rainfall measured at around 100mm towards the end of October was crucial to replenish the dry soil profiles and to lay the foundation for stress free flowering and berry set conditions. The 2020 harvest period was characterised by typical conditions and moderate temperatures. Carried over effects from the heat during spring as well as effective canopies promoted ripening in the early cultivars and were therefore harvested much earlier. Sustained, moderate temperatures occurred until the end of March and resulted in effective plant functioning and full maturity in late cultivars.
Vinification details
The grapes were whole bunch pressed and the juice transferred to new- and second-fill 500L blond-toasted barrels after a brief settling. It was naturally fermented and then left for 10 months on its lees. Total time in barrel was 10 months.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 90 pts
Technical Analysis
Formerly known as Grand Vin Chardonnay, Glenelly's Estate Reserve is from vines planted in 2007, made in a complex mineral style with notes from barrel ageing.
Tasting note
The Estate Reserve Chardonnay has floral aromas with baked apple, singed orange rind and warm toasted nuts. A harmony of notes of apple, mint, heather and spiced butter are on the palate which is all supported by a vivid acidity. The flavours of pie crust and toasted apple linger to a mouthwatering finish.
Vintage conditions
The winter was cold and wet which helped replenish soil moisture after the drought. Although Stellenbosch experienced a cool spring, bud burst was good, however the crop looked a little small after flowering. Veraison started earlier than usual, and cool conditions were followed by intense heat in early February which accelerated the ripening of the early varieties. Cool weather and good rainfall in March then slowed the ripening of the late varieties, giving a three-week break during harvest. The harvest was smaller than previous years but of very high quality.
Vinification details
The grapes were whole bunch pressed and the juice transferred to new- and second-fill 500L blond-toasted barrels after a brief settling. It was naturally fermented and then left for 11 months on its lees. Total time in barrel was 11 months.
AWARDS
DWWA: Silver
Neil Martin: 90 pts
Tim Atkin MW: 90 pts
Technical Analysis
Formerly known as Grand Vin Chardonnay, Glenelly's Estate Reserve is from vines planted in 2007, made in a complex mineral style with notes from barrel ageing.
Tasting note
The Estate Reserve chardonnay displays a wonderful bright, crisp colour. The nose has tones of quince, citrus peel, lime and butterscotch caramel with hints of pear drop. The palate is lush, with poise and balance, vibrant citrus and mineral flavours leading the way to a long, round, textured finish.
Vintage conditions
Post harvest leaf fall occurred earlier than usual due to limited water. Winter was warmer than usual, with only 80% of expected winter rainfall. A warm spring stimulated an even and fast bud burst in early cultivars, with varied shoot growth due to temperature fluctuations leading to faster suckering. Above average rainfall during flowering and berry set lead to unevenness between berries and bunches although night time temperatures were cooler during ripening, which lead to good colour and flavour.
Vinification details
The grapes were whole bunch pressed and the juice transferred to new- and second-fill 500L blond-toasted barrels after a brief settling. It was naturally fermented and then left for 11 months on its lees. Total time in barrel was 11 months.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW 92 pts
Neil Martin: 91 pts
Veritas: Silver
Technical Analysis
Formerly known as Grand Vin Chardonnay, Glenelly's Estate Reserve is from vines planted in 2007, made in a complex mineral style with notes from barrel ageing.
Tasting note
Displays a pure, bright and fresh straw colour. The nose has tones of butterscotch vanilla and apple pie with hints of pear drop. The palate is lush with poise and balance and flavours of citrus and stone fruit which lead the way to a long, round, textured finish.
Vintage conditions
Winter was late, but cold enough to break dormancy. Very low rainfall led to extremely low soil moisture levels which meant that irrigation was key to relieving stress in the vineyard. A good spring led to good and even bud burst thanks to warm weather for the season with little to no rain. Although there were more bunches, the berries were smaller. The harvest was earlier than normal and larger than the previous year.
Vinification details
The grapes were whole bunch pressed and the juice transferred to new- and second-fill 500L blond-toasted barrels after a brief settling. It was naturally fermented and then left for 10 months on its lees. Total time in barrel was 11 months.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 92 pts