Almenkerk Chardonnay

2021

Region: Elgin
Wine of Origin: Elgin
Winemaker: Joris van Almenkerk

Producer Information

Our story begins in 2002 when we moved to South Africa and started looking around for a farm with a perfect terroir,cool climate and frankly a nice place to live.

Only late in our quest, when we were seriously considering a promising property in Stellenbosch, did a friend insist we go "Over the Mountain" as they call it here and visit the Elgin Valley. Barely a week later we signed the papers and could call ourselves proud owners of an... apple farm.

After moving from Belgium and purshasing the property in 2002 we began the process of transforming it into a wine farm. The Estate was originally 32 hectares of apple trees and now we have 15 hectares of vines in production. The decision of what to plant and where to plant it was a massive project on its own. We used consultants and professors with a combined experience of over a century. On top of that, we based our choice on infrared and satellite imagery, soil samples, and electromagnetic scans of the soil. The information gleaned from the previous owner as well as the labour, who had been living on the farm for many years, was also crucial in these decisions. We then planted the specific cultivars to their best-suited sites and from there we have been nursing our vines into healthy grape producers. It it only due to the wide ranges of slopes, orientations and soil types that we are able to grow such a variety of cultivars.

We decided to continue to farm nine hectares of the land as orchards. We currently have four varieties of apple and one of pear. Although apple farming is not our core business, it complements the farm nicely. The apple trees are beautiful, especially when flowering. It also keeps our team of laboureres busy where there is little else to do. Apart from that, it is hugely gratifying to eat your own apples fresh from the tree!

Wine Information

Alcohol: 13.5% Residual Sugar: 2.0 g/l PH: 3.1 TA: 7.4 Color: White Varietals: Chardonnay (100%) Style: Type: Still Category: White wooded Unit of Measure: 750 ml Production: 5400 bottles Price Code: