Benguela Cove Chardonnay 2024

Benguela Cove Chardonnay 2024

Winemaking

Walker Bay earned its repertoire for outstanding Chardonnay and these vineyards are no exception. Nudged by the lagoon with vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyards enjoy cool daytime temperatures that drop even more at night. A beneficial diurnal range aids in even ripening and complexity while maritime winds encourage healthy vines that need minimal intervention. Picked at optimal ripeness, the grapes were hand sorted. Juice from 2 pressing cycles were divided into 4 batches that had different levels of exposure to oxygen and solids content with the juice going into fermentation. These 4 components were fermented and matured separately. 20% of the juice solids were not settled out and went straight into barrel while 50% of the juice was hyper-oxidised, with the balance treated reductive prior to the onset of fermentation. The wine was left on its lees for the entire maturation period to enhance palate texture. For a balanced acidity and enhanced richness and mouthfeel 30% of the wine was allowed to go through secondary malolactic fermentation Maturation: 10 months, 50% new French Oak

Tasting Notes

Pale straw in colour with elegant aromas of hazelnut, shortbread biscuit, ripe peach, and fresh yellow apple. The palate is creamy and textured, balancing citrus zest brightness with subtle lees-driven complexity. A gentle richness and well-integrated oak underpin the wine’s fresh acidity, leading to a juicy, lingering finish that highlights its cool-climate finesse.

Analysis

Alcohol: 13.0 %
Residual Sugar: 3.4 g/l
Total Acidity: 6.1 g/l
pH: 3.43
Wine of Origin: Walker Bay

Personality

“We aim to produce a Chardonnay that is an expression of the vineyard. We therefore make subtle use of oak to celebrate its intensely fruited core.” This wine is confident and demands attention with its balance between freshness and fullness. Apart from being beautifully balanced, the intensity, chalky texture, length, concentration and super long finish makes this a worthy competitor for the best Chardonnays of its kind.