Made from a vineyard planted on the chalky soils of De Wetshof Estate in the Robertson Valley, The Site 2016 was honoured in a unique wine competition where the majority of the judges are international wine experts brought in from 22 countries to judge the awards.
The Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards is the largest drinks competition on the African continent and this year attracted 2036 entries.
Accepting the award on behalf of De Wetshof, CEO Johann de Wet said receiving this Michelangelo Platinum recognition was of great importance to the farm as terroir and site-specific wine production has always been the focus of all aspects of De Wetshof’s viticulture and wine-making activities.
“This Platinum award from an esteemed panel of international judges most definitely vindicates our decision to focus on site-specific wines,” he said. “The Site is one of the five Chardonnay wines in our portfolio that each individually express the nuances garnered from their respective vineyard’s unique natural environment.”
The unique The Site vineyard is planted on gravel soils originating from mountain rock rich in limestone and clay. Said De Wet: “The high pH soils allow the wine to obtain a low pH in the wine level, allowing this single vineyard Chardonnay to portray a spectrum of flavours framed in elegance and complexity, given an added dimension by 12 months’ aging in French oak. This gives typical features of a classic Chardonnay. Citrus and pear-drop notes are complemented by an intriguing nuttiness, with elegant citrus on the finish. The Site improves in dimension and complexity with age and under the correct storage conditions it can mature in the bottle for 10 to 15 years.”
De Wet said that these international accolades for Chardonnay, such as through the Michelangelo Awards, underscores the world-class quality of South African Chardonnay.
“Besides the Platinum award De Wetshof received, the competition’s top-scoring wine was a Chardonnay (Groot Constantia), making this the most successful grape variety at this year’s Michelangelo Awards,” he says. “The quality of South African Chardonnay has never been higher than now. Although its history in this country only goes back four decades, Chardonnay has shown itself as having found a true home at the southern tip of Africa producing distinctive wines with a true sense of place.
“As a pioneer of Chardonnay in South Africa, De Wetshof is proud to have played a role in creating this pedigree for the world’s greatest white variety, and I believe South Africa’s best is still to come.”
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