Description
Excelsior Chardonnay is a delicious summer wine. The nose shows hints of peach, lemons, tropical fruit, and orange blossom backed up by a touch of oak. The palate is fresh and creamy with great length from the acidity. This chardonnay is light yellow with a green tinge. Delicious with salmon mousse served with cream fraiche and dill. 96% Chardonnay and 4% Voignier.
Excelsior Chardonnay vineyards are situated on the limestone soils of the Robertson region. Limestone and Chardonnay have a great affinity as it brings out the citrus and mineral notes of the grape. The grapes are harvested at full ripeness when they still have high acids to ensure freshness in the final wine.
Grapes are harvested by hand for greater quality control. The wines are immediately destemmed and cooled. Skin contact are maintained for 4 hours, and then the grapes are carefully pressed in order to avoid bitter phenols. The wine is then cold fermented for 15 days at temperatures between 12° and 15° Celsius. Lees contact was maintained for 3 months in order to give greater fullness to the final wine. 25% of the wine was fermented in new French oak. A cool season and moderate weather conditions in the Robertson area during harvest time slowed down ripening, which gave vines the opportunity to develop stunning flavor and color in this year’s crop. We can expect some good wines from this vintage.
