from La Motte, Franschhoek Valley. The vineyard lies 200 metres above sea-level, against a southern and south western slope.

Budding started early as a result of a warm August, while spring and flowering time turned cold again, causing unfavourable conditions. Summer was dry, with a heat wave in early January, while generally dry and hot conditions caused harvest-time to be even earlier. White wine flavours are not intense, but there is a good balance in the analyses and taste. Grapes for the 2011 Chardonnay were harvested between 1 February and 16 February, at different degrees of ripeness.

Vineyard blocks: 6 (4,9 ha) Soil type: Clovelly Direction planted: north-south Density: 4 630 vines per hectare (2,7 x 0,8) Root stock: Richter 99 Clone: CY 3 Year planted: 1997 Trellising: Perold Irrigation: Drip

All the bunches were whole-pressed and the juice received a reasonable measure of oxidative treatment. The clean juice was transferred to 300-litre French oak barrels where it was inoculated with yeast and fermented at between 17 and 20 degrees Celsius. Malolactic fermentation was also in the barrels. One third of the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks, without malolactic fermentation. After fermentation the lees was stirred regularly over a period of eleven months. 30% of the French oak barrels in which the wine was matured were new. All the components were blended subsequent to maturation and the wine was bottled in the La Motte cellar on 23 April 2011. After twelve months of bottle maturation, 5 000 cartons (6 x 750 ml) were released as 2011 La Motte Chardonnay.

A low pH and good acid in the analyses were evident of a fresh wine with a firm structure. Low alcohol resulted in soft, integrated extraction of complementing wood flavours. The result is a wine with tropical and citrus fruit flavours, with cashew nut in the background. Secondary traces of fermentation and wood are present, but it is a crisp and refreshing wine.

Alcohol 12,87 % vol
Residual sugar 2,3 g/l
Total acid 6,0 g/l
pH 3,28