De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay

The Bateleur is one of Africa's most majestic birds of prey. This wine is named after an eagle that is rare in its beauty and presence. Another gem of a wine from South Africa. Winemaking is certainly a passion of the De Wetshof winery! The Wetshof Estate is located in the Robertson wine region, approximately 160 kilometers from Cape Town. Johann de Wet, father of Danie, the current owner of the De Wetshof Estate, laid the foundation for the estate as it is today in 1952. The Robertson Valley is characterized by cold winters and sunny summers with an average annual rainfall of 400 millimeters. In summer, a fresh southerly breeze has a cooling effect on the vineyards, allowing the grapes to ripen evenly and in perfect balance. Nights are cool, and during the summer months, a mist often shrouds the vineyards until late in the morning.

The best wine from De Wetshof

The grapes are harvested by hand in the morning. The fruit from this vineyard is characterized by a beautifully elegant complexity of pear and citrus aromas. Once destemming, pressing, and overnight settling are complete, the juice is removed from the sediment and transferred to French oak barrels. These were specially selected to enhance the fruit quality during barrel fermentation and aging. After fermentation, the wine remains on the lees under controlled temperatures. Weekly stirring (battonnage) of the lees in the barrels ensures maximum flavor depth in the wine. After several months, the wines are removed from the lees and returned to barrels to complete the oak aging process until they reach the desired bottling standard.

Full and very powerful this Bateleur Chardonnay

The Bateleur improves in size and complexity with age and, under the right conditions, can age for many years in the bottle. This Chardonnay has an intense and broad aroma, lightly toasted but also beautiful citrus fruit, powerful yet subtle, smoky and subtle. The palate is powerful, a beautifully fresh Chardonnay, soft, broad, and mouth-filling, wonderfully intense and lively, with butter, caramel, and nuts, pure length, and abundant complexity.