News
"Why South African Wines are so special" Monday, February 02, 2009 by De Kock Communications on behalf of WOSA Today, (Monday, February 2) is South Africa's 350th birthday as a wine-producing nation. We are unique in knowing the exact date on which our wine industry began, thanks to the diary entry of Jan Van Riebeeck, who wrote on February 2, 1659:* "Today, praise be to God wine was pressed for the first time from Cape grapes."
South African Wine is 350 years old! 
This month’s spotlight is on Eikendal’s 2007 Chardonnay. John Platter awards this wine 4 1/2 stars and notes:
“well-handled oak delivers punchy nutty/toasty aromas, long creamy finish, subtle citrus lift mid-palate. Highly sippable, but not as taut or enduring as 06. ) ‘Perfect partner for striped sea bass,’ David F suggests.”
Vinification
Two different sites were used to create this superbly balanced wine. One site had grapes grown on alluvial sandy soils, the other had grapes grown on mineral rich, red decomposed granite soils. The previous contributing a high profiled flavour spectrum with abounding sweet fruit, the latter, minerally stealth, lengthy acidity and a promise of longevity. The wine was matured for 7 months in French oak barrels, blended and bottled.
Wine Analysis
Sugar: 3.02 g/l
Total acid: 5.7 g/l
pH: 3.53
Alcohol: 14.5 vol %
A classic well-balanced wine packed with rich fresh lemony, vanilla and toasty oak flavours. The fine complexity added by oak maturation has created a wine of distinction.
Maturation Potential
Even at this early stage Eikendal Chardonnay drinks easily as a young wine but will still develop to its full potential. Cellaring is advised up to 5 years.
