2024 La Vierge The Turtle & The Shark Chardonnay

Chardonnay from six vineyards, hand-harvested in six separate batches at the end of February 2024. Pressed at low temperature, juice was left to settle for 24 to 36 hours at 10 °C before being racked off the lees into 500-litre oak puncheons. The juice was allowed to naturally warm, spontaneous fermentation. Aged on gross lees in barrel for nine months with minimal stirring. One month prior to bottling, the final blend was assembled.
Sunlight brightness! Explodes with brightness in the mouth. Lemon zest to melted butter. Builds into the finish. Juiciness, cardamom, cumin spices, salt and pepper. Texture like ruched silk. Hint of pineapple, lots and lots of clementine and bitter orange. Long, long, long finish. Gulpingly thirst-quenching. Out-performing its price point.

GV Tamlyn Currin 17.5 www.jancisrobinson.com

This Chardonnay displays a limestone minerality with Granitic dust, lemon grass, lime peel, and a delicately exotic white blossom perfume. Cool and steely, the palate bristles with maritime salinity, tart green apples and crunchy pear notes with a delicious leesy, lemon biscuit and salted pistachio nuttiness on the long finish. A very classy cool climate Chardonnay. [Greg Sherwood MW, 01/09/2026]

These vineyards, located in the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge within the Walker Bay appellation, are situated near the Atlantic Ocean. The region experiences a temperate maritime climate, where parallel mountain ranges direct southerly sea breezes through the appellation during the summer months. These winds contribute to the frequent presence of sea mists and overcast conditions, promoting more consistent temperatures throughout the valley. The area maintains an average temperature of 19°C, with an annual rainfall of approximately 750mm.

This Chardonnay blend is sourced from six distinct vineyards, with all grapes meticulously hand-harvested in the cool early morning hours. The harvest took place in six separate batches at the end of February 2024, allowing for greater complexity by capturing both terroir expression and clone variation. Early picked grapes contribute a perfumed green citrus fruit profile, while later harvests add depth and complexity to the palate. To preserve delicate flavours and aromas, the grapes were pressed at low temperatures. The juice was then left to settle for 24 to 36 hours at 10°C before being racked off the lees into carefully selected 500l Burgundian Oak puncheons. The juice was allowed to naturally warm, initiating spontaneous secondary fermentation. Spontaneous fermentation continued until dryness was achieved. The wine was then matured on the gross lees in barrel for nine months with minimal stirring, enhancing texture and depth. One month prior to bottling, the final blend was carefully assembled.