The growing season for the 2023 harvest will be remembered for the hot and dry weather followed by cold and wet periods, starting at the end of January, that persisted to the end of the season, well into autumn. These unfortunate climatic conditions influenced vineyards differently, depending on their location and cultivar type. Diligent vineyard management was paramount to ensure that the vineyards stayed protected and ripened the grapes sufficiently.

The warm, dryish winter resulted in earlier than usual budbreak and flowering. The steady weather pattern continued into veraison across all the cultivars. Chardonnay vineyards flourish in very cold winter conditions, so the warmer winter caused
uneven budding and a smaller than usual Chardonnay crop. Luckily, Chardonnay was not affected by the rainy weather, starting in the second half of the growing season, so grapes ripened easily, producing flavorful fruit from which full-bodied, rich wines were made.

The grapes were harvested in separate batches at full ripeness, then crushed and settled for two days before the juice was transferred to 225L oak barrels. The barrel selection included up to 34% new oak, using very lightly toasted, extra-tight-grain barrels to limit smoky or overtly toasted flavors. After fermentation, a portion of the wine underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation. The wine matured in barrel for approximately 11 months before being racked, blended, and bottled.

Winemaker: Ronell Wiid

The growing season for the 2023 harvest will be remembered for the hot and dry weather followed by cold and wet periods, starting at the end of January, that persisted to the end of the season, well into autumn. These unfortunate climatic conditions influenced vineyards differently, depending on their location and cultivar type. Diligent vineyard management was paramount to ensure that the vineyards stayed protected and ripened the grapes sufficiently.

The warm, dryish winter resulted in earlier than usual budbreak and flowering. The steady weather pattern continued into veraison across all the cultivars. Chardonnay vineyards flourish in very cold winter conditions, so the warmer winter caused
uneven budding and a smaller than usual Chardonnay crop. Luckily, Chardonnay was not affected by the rainy weather, starting in the second half of the growing season, so grapes ripened easily, producing flavorful fruit from which full-bodied, rich wines were made.

The grapes were harvested in separate batches at full ripeness, then crushed and settled for two days before the juice was transferred to 225L oak barrels. The barrel selection included up to 34% new oak, using very lightly toasted, extra-tight-grain barrels to limit smoky or overtly toasted flavors. After fermentation, a portion of the wine underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation. The wine matured in barrel for approximately 11 months before being racked, blended, and bottled.

Winemaker: Ronell Wiid