De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay 2018

De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay 2018

De Wetshof Wine Estate is situated in the beautiful Robertson Wine Appellation. Known, not only for the production of truly fine wine, but also for fine stud racehorses and magnificent roses.

The De Wet Family are well known as Chardonnay Specialists, producing a range of fine wines from the unwooded Limestone Hill through to this wine, The De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay 2018. The pinnacle, the flag bearer of the range.

Peter de Wet, the family winemaker

Made from grapes from a single vineyard 3.5-hectare vineyard which was planted in 1987. Named for one of the finest looking of the African Eagles, the Bateleur. Picked very early in the morning before the Summer heat rises in the vineyards, the grapes are taken to the cellar to be destalked and crushed. The juice settles out overnight and is racked off its lees and taken to French Oak Barrels from the French Cooper Christian Radoux, a friend of the family. After fermentation the wine is left on its lees with regular stirring [batonnage, in French] which helps build the palate. Eventually the wine is taken to new barrels to complete the wood maturation before being prepared for bottling.

Chardonnay ripening on the vine

Pour

From a Burgundy shaped bottle, closed with natural cork. The label is elegant and simple. In the glass, the wine is a rich straw colour with lime green flashes. The aromas fair jump out of the glass as you pour. Fine citrus, gouttes de poire, little French pear drops which my grandmother used to keep in her car. There is an undertow of marzipan and some intriguing river stone minerality. You are in the presence or Royalty here. This is a very impressive glass. If cool cellared for a couple of years, you will be richly rewarded.

Meeta K Wolff’s Apple Glazed Duck

Pair

The De Wetshof Bateleur Chardonnay 2018 is a wine to be taken seriously when it comes to food. It has enough oomph to be able to tackle roasted pork belly with crackling or Scallops of Veal in a creamy Madeira Sauce. Meeta K Wolff’s Apple Glazed Duck is the ideal partner. Click HERE for her recipe.

Meeta K Wolff