Description
Vineyard:
Block 7 vineyard extends down a hillside, transitioning from an east-facing aspect to a southeast-facing slope. Block 10, the lowest vineyard on the slope, features a north to northwest-facing orientation. This variation in terroir contributes to wines with a refined austerity, pronounced tension, and restrained citrus aromatics, underpinned by a vibrant acidity that forms the backbone of their character. The 2023 Chardonnay production remained consistent with the long-term average. The growing season recorded an average rainfall of 788mm, with 43% (341mm) occurring during the wet season.
However, the vintage presented certain challenges, notably a two-week heatwave in January that accelerated the ripening process.
Winemaking:
The grapes were carefully destemmed and pressed before undergoing settling, facilitated by pectolytic enzymes. After 24 hours, the clarified juice was racked off and transferred to 500l French Oak barrels and amphorae for spontaneous fermentation. Upon the completion of alcoholic fermentation, sulfur dioxide was added to prevent malolactic fermentation, preserving the wine’s freshness and natural acidity. The wine remained on the gross lees, with minimal bâtonnage performed during the first six months to enhance texture without compromising vibrancy. After nine months in barrel, it was blended and transferred to stainless steel tanks for an additional six months of maturation. Prior to bottling, the wine underwent stabilisation and was gently clarified through filtration to ensure purity and balance.
Producer Profile
At La Vierge, our wines are rooted in the unique soils of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge. Our vineyards thrive in clay-rich Bokkeveld shale, where the high clay content retains moisture and cools the roots, ensuring the slow, precise ripening of our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Beneath, mineral-rich shale promotes deep root growth, allowing vines to access essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium. This synergy between the clay’s water retention and the shale’s minerality imparts a refined balance of acidity, texture and depth, all enhanced by cooling coastal breezes, resulting in wines of elegance, clarity and character.
At La Vierge, our wines are a true reflection of the distinctive terroir of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, where a combination of unique soils, climate, and topography converge to create ideal conditions for growing exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vineyards are situated within a natural amphitheatre, which offers a rare 360-degree exposure to the surrounding weather systems. This geographical feature ensures that each vineyard block experiences a dynamic, yet balanced, interaction with the various weather conditions throughout the growing season, allowing for a nuanced and multifaceted expression of the land.
The soils in this region further enhance the expression of each site. The vineyards are planted in clay-rich Bokkeveld shale, which provides an ideal substrate for vine growth. The high clay content of these soils helps retain moisture, buffering the vines against drought stress, while the underlying shale layers, rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, ensure that the vines have access to essential nutrients. The mineral composition promotes deep root growth, encouraging vines to tap into the subsoil, which contributes to the concentration of flavours and minerality in the grapes.
This interplay of diverse weather conditions, together with the unique soil composition, leads to wines that exhibit exceptional complexity and balance. The clay retains moisture, helping to moderate the vine’s water stress during dry spells, while the shale’s drainage properties prevent excess water retention, maintaining the health of the vines and promoting even ripening. The cooling coastal breezes play a crucial role in preserving acidity and preventing over-ripening, while the warmer pockets within the amphitheatre allow for the slow, consistent ripening of the fruit, ensuring optimal phenolic development and flavour concentration.
The synergy between the clay’s moisture retention, the shale’s mineral richness, and the moderating influence of the coastal climate allows our vineyards to thrive in a manner that is both unique and precise. This combination leads to wines that exhibit elegance, finesse, and exceptional depth, with a well-balanced interplay of acidity, texture, and mineral complexity. Each wine from La Vierge offers a unique expression of this remarkable terroir, reflecting the varied weather influences, soil characteristics, and microclimates of the estate. The result is wines that offer clarity, character, and a profound sense of place – wines that truly capture the essence of the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge in every bottle.
