2010 White Ladybird Wine

This is a very unique wine in our portfolio. Since the beginning we wanted to make something completely different than some of the other whites in our portfolio. Very much a feel wine. Very easy to produce, just take everything they teach you in wine school and try to do the opposite. We believe that our property lends itself to producing very good Chardonnay and Chardonnay based blends. We are looking for a lovely food wine with moderated acidity, great mouth feel and tons of creaminess. The Chardonnay and Chenin are grown organically without irrigation on our farm. The Chardonnay is planted on our lowest slopes. The Chenin is very young, first crop, and the Viognier was bought in the Swartland area. From 2011 we will not buy in Viognier anymore because our own block is now in production. Yields are naturally kept low to help the concentration. The grapes for this wine are harvested from the beginning of February. We try to pick in the early mornings to avoid the extreme heat that we can get in the warmest month in South - Africa. We do not do any destemming and prefer whole bunch pressing to preserve the freshness and enhance fruit expression. We do not do any settling and do not add any sulfur or tartaric acid. We work as oxidative as possible. No yeast is added and natural fermentation usually starts 3-4 days after pressing. We allow fermentation temperatures to go up to 25 degrees. It is a very short fermentation. Some years natural malolactic fermentation will occur. 10 of this wine is fermented in larger Hungarian oak barrels. The wine is left on the primary sediment for 10 months without sulfur before the racking, blending and bottling. The wine is sterile filtered. Lovely light straw colour. Aromas of buttery toast, lime and white peach evident. Medium bodied with a round, creamy palate and good freshness. The oak is very well integrated and adds to the complexity of the wine. A lovely food wine which will complement creamy rich dishes, seafood and risottos. Enough components to last 3-4 years after the harvest. Drink now, till 2014.