With each vintage, our Waterford Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay continues to showcase the artistry, care, and deep understanding of these vines grown on the Helderberg Mountain.
The story of our Chardonnay vines at Waterford Estate hit an exciting milestone with the 2023 vintage when we gained the Old Vine Project certification for our Chardonnay vines, marking them over the 35-year-old age requirement. These vines stand as the third-oldest Chardonnay vineyards in South Africa and as a part of the Heritage Vine Project, these vines embody resilience and history, imparting concentration, texture, and complexity to our wines.
A legacy in every glass
Our Chardonnay journey began before we purchased the farm, with chardonnay vineyards being planted here ten years before the founding of Waterford Estate and this journey has grown to new heights. Chardonnay has had a turbulent history in South Africa with many wine drinkers moving away from the queen of all grapes as the style pushed a bolder, more heavily oaked version of the wine. The move towards a more lightly oaked style of Chardonnay saw our Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay poised to impress all who would swirl our iconic green-hued Chardonnay, as our champion in this wine has never been the oak barrels but rather the quietly ageing vineyard.
With experimentation and creativity as our guide, we saw the creation of the 2013 VRC a blend of Viognier, Riesling and Chardonnay. This blended expression demonstrated the impact of precise oaking on texture and complexity while showing the versatility of this noble variety.
Building on this foundation of gentler oak, the 2017 Library Collection Kept-Aside Chardonnay exemplified our commitment to showcasing the vineyard's character as the vineyard section used for this wine is not irrigated, this is called dryland farming. Dryland farming forces the vine to dig its roots deep into the earth in search of moisture and it is this depth that gives higher-quality nutrients and minerals to the vine and the fruit it creates. This section of the Chardonnay block has always impressed us with its concentration, quality and consistency no matter the vintage.
The gentle oaking process used in crafting our Estate Chardonnay allows the natural concentration, mineral acidity and flavour of these mature vines to shine.
As these older vines thrive, they teach us invaluable lessons about caring for vineyards on the Helderberg Mountain offering insights that are now shaping our approach to nurturing our Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Our dedication to long-term sustainability and regenerative farming techniques ensures that our quality is ever-growing while allowing future generations to enjoy this place we call home.
This philosophy of vineyard first is continued in the Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay, which reflects a balance between richness and vibrancy—a hallmark of our Chardonnay. While scoring 4.5 stars in the 2025 Platter's Wine Guide is a testament to the vineyard, we have to share this incredible achievement with the entire Waterford Estate team. Without everyone's dedication, passion and expertise our Chardonnay would not have grown into the wine it is today.
For more information and to secure your bottles of Waterford Estate Chardonnay, contact chris@waterfordestate.co.za and keep an eye on our socials as we prepare to unveil the 2018 vintage of our Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique.