Eikendal Chardonnay 2022

Vineyards:
20% Elgin Clone CY 277, 60% Eikendal Clone CY 95, 96 and 20% from Klein Moerbei (STB) CY 548.

Elgin Smarag CY 277 – The Bone Structure:
This is just the most beautiful vineyard. Planted in a valley very close to a dam in “Koffieklip” (“Coffee Stone”) with high clay content it has very cold evenings and more humid days for Elgin. Highly exposed to wind and with medium vigour it fits perfectly for this clone. I use CY 277 (MCC clone) which is mostly used in SA for MCC, specifically for Chardonnay for its high acidity and perfumed profile. The block is not irrigated and so vines are in survival mode all the time bringing us closer to that mineral core that we are searching for. This block is planted 2.4m x 1.2m and IS in a VSP system.

Eikendal – The Marriage of Granite and Bush Vine:
These blocks are planted way up the Helderberg Mountain and are on the highest point of Eikendal overlooking False Bay. It is a combination of bush vines, bush vine/post with no trellised vineyards used. Spur pruned. Yield 1 kg/vine. Plant density is between 5 000 to 7 500 vines/ha. Planted East/West.

Vines only receive post-harvest irrigation thus NO irrigation before harvesting. It is planted in decomposed granite with gravel and white clay +/- 60-80cm deep. Fully exposed to the South-easterly winds and receive cool air from False Bay. This is the perfect area for growing Chardonnay and my approach to growing these vines always keep them in survival mode. These vines undergo harsh treatment and left to their own devices, surviving day to day. There are no big flavours or big tannins but rather pure granite in a bush vine bunch.
The perfect marriage.

Klein Moerbei – CY 548 – Stone:
CY 548 is an old Burgundian clone which is not widely planted in SA due to low yields but is extreme in quality. I buy these grapes from KM but also grow the vineyard myself. It is in sandy/alluvial soils and we stopped irrigating this block FOUR years ago. The effect is that we decreased growth and vigour and managed to put this vineyard in survival mode. The block is trellised and planted 2.4m x 1.2m (3 333 vines/ha). This is from the bottom section of the block where the vines are really struggling. It creates a stone character with an intense mineral core.

The Eikendal Chardonnay is produced from 2 different areas, 3 different farms, 4 different clones, 7 different vineyards (Biggest block 1Ha). That is where complexity starts.