De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2021
-
Spirits
Wine & -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Heavy clay soils rich in limestone allow this Chardonnay to emit optimum varietal expression in a cloak of rich complexity. An un-wooded wine, Limestone Hill has notes of grapefruit and nuts, with the complexity balanced by a nuanced elegance ending with a delicate ripeness.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine & Spirits
Danie De Wet, whose family were early growers in the Robertson Valley, first registering their estate in the 1970s, can trace his Cape winemaking heritage back to the 1700s. De Wetshof’s unoaked chardonnay presents powerful acidity, prominent florals and chewy, pâte de fruit. Match its brightness to carnitas tacos.
-
James Suckling
Sliced pear, lemon, apple, apricot and crushed stones on the nose. Medium-bodied with tangy acidity and a fresh, mineral palate.
-
Wine Spectator
Pear and pineapple fruit flavors are bright and juicy in this lively Chardonnay. Lithe and zesty, with accents of wet stone, grated ginger and verbena gliding through on the lip-smacking finish.
Other Vintages
2023-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
- Vinous
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Wong
Wilfred
-
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
Danie began his winemaking career after studying at Geisenheim in Germany, returning to South Africa in the early 1970s to work alongside his father who began the De Wetshof Estate. Over the years, careful planning has gone into soil mapping the estate’s vineyards to identify the ideal terroir for the various varietals Danie nurtures both in the alluvial soils near the Breede River, as well as the lime rich slopes stretching up from the river. The Estate has become renowned for its elegant, award-winning wines and its innovative and advanced used of technology in the vineyard and cellar.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Within the Breede River Valley in South Africa, Robertson is a warm and dry winegrowing region notable for its white wines. The region is home to an increasing number of estates and cooperatives.