Chardonnay Estate Reserve 2021 – Lismore

The grapes to produce Chardonnay Estate Reserve Lismore were whole bunch pressed, slowly extracting the juice at a rate of 600 litres per tonne. The Chardonnay Estate Reserve Lismore juice was cold settled for 48 hours and then racked into 500 litre Burgundian barrels of which 35% is new, for spontaneous and natural fermentation and 11 months’ maturation. Balance was the key to this wine.

Having pioneered a new extreme cool climate region in South Africa, Samantha chose to release an Estate Reserve range to illustrate what the vineyards are capable of. The wines are produced from very low yielding vines. The vineyard is planted at 300 metres above sea level, in the foothills of the Sonderend Mountain Range. The vines are grown in decomposed shale over clay soils and are dry farmed, which contributes to the deep concentration in the wine. Low mean temperatures during February contribute to an extended ripening period, resulting in a harvest period which can be three to four weeks later than traditional wine
growing regions in South Africa. The intense citrus notes and the lingering finish are consistent trademarks of Lismore’s specific terroir. The distinctive minerality of this Chardonnay is a clear indication of the cool climate in which it is grown.

In Lismore Estate Vineyards the Californian Samantha O’Keefe has found paradise and the perfect terroir. Hidden at the foot of a spectacular mountain range in the lower part of Africa, Lismore Estate Vineyards was born next to its nascent family. A passionate vision, combined with vines planted at 300 meters, cooled by winter snow and fed by the African summer sun, produces classic wines, with a fresh climate, rich, complex and handcrafted.