In 1983, Gyles Webb purchased Thelema, a charming, dilapidated fruit farm. Orchards were cleared and vines planted. The manor house was restored, and the first wines under the Thelema label were released in 1988. The ripe, pure fruit wines were a revelation to many, and it wasn't long before the romantic story of a dilapidated old fruit farm became a success story of an avant-garde winery. By the mid-1990s, Thelema wines were selling out within a month of release, making it one of the most sought-after wineries in South Africa.
Situated at the summit of the Helshoogte Pass, with elevations ranging from 370 to 640 meters above sea level and predominantly south-facing slopes, it is also one of the highest and coolest estates in the area. The high altitude and deep red soils are ideal for producing high-quality wine grapes. The terroir, combined with Gyles Webb's winemaking style, results in flavorful, flamboyant, complex, and durable wines with a distinctive South African character.
The Chardonnay grape bunches are stalked and crushed after harvest, cooled, and left in contact with the skins overnight before being pressed, settled, and pressed from the coarse lees into 33 percent new French barriques where alcoholic and malolactic fermentation took place at around 21 degrees Celsius. Battonage was carried out every three weeks for a total aging period of 11 months.
The Thelema Chardonnay has a rich, bright, golden-yellow hue and an aromatic, complex nose of lime marmalade, guava, and melon fruit, along with toasted oak notes. The palate is medium to full-bodied and rounded, bursting with lush tropical fruit flavors, a delightful mineral streak, and well-integrated, nutty oak that lends a creamy texture on the palate. It finishes soft and juicy, making it a wine that will age well in the bottle.
