The slow ripening fruit produces wines of consistently distinctive character and expressive style. Crisp Granny Smith apple and ripe citrus aromas of Ruby grapefruit are permeated with soft layers of crème caramel and sweet orange marmalade. The flavours are lively, and the finish refined and rich with a long tail due to oaking and extended lees contact.
Technical Tasting Sheets:
Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2019 - PDF
Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2018 - PDF
Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2017 - PDF
Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2016 - PDF
Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2015 - PDF
The Op Die Berg Chardonnay is exceptionally well-suited to creamy pastas and grapefruit salads. The freshness of the wine also makes it ideal for mild, aromatic curries.
High on the Witzenberg Mountain range in Ceres, at an altitude of 960 meters above sea level, this unique ‘appellation’ exhibits South Africa’s only truly continental climate with winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. The cooler night-time temperatures and hotter daytime temperatures during the growing season results in slower ripening and more concentrated fruit. Ceres fruit displays surprising cooler climate characteristics in comparison to other regions of the Western Cape.
Handpicked at the break of dawn, carefully selected grapes are destemmed, crushed and lightly pressed at De Grendel with a recovery of only 650 litres per ton. After two days of settling, the juice is inoculated and transferred to 225 litre French Oak barrels for fermen-tation of which 1/3 is new, 1/3 is second fill and 1/3 is third fill. The wine is barrel aged ‘sur lie’ for 6 months whilst undergoing ‘bâtonnage’. Bâtonnage is the method of stirring up the lees and takes place twice a week before malolactic fermentation and once a month after malolactic fermentation to enhance the mouth feel and structure of the wine.
2019
- Winemag Chardonnay Report 2019 90 Points
2018
- Decanter Wine Awards 2019 Gold
- IWSC 2019 Gold (96 Points)
- Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2019 Gold
- Tim Atkin SA Report 2019 94 Points
- Veritas Awards 2019 Double Gold
- Winemag Chardonnay Report 2019 95 Points (Top Score)
2017
- Tim Atkin SA Report 2018 94 Points
- Platter's Guide 2019 4 1/2 Stars
2016
- China Wine & Spirits Awards 2017 Gold
- Platter's Guide 2018 4 1/2 Stars
2015
- China Wine & Spirits Awards 2016 Gold
- Global Chardonnay Masters 2016 Gold
- Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2016 Gold
- Tim Atkin SA Report 2016 90 Points
2014
- The Sommeliers Selection 2015 - Elegant/Classy White
- Tim Atkin SA Report 2015 90 Points
2013
- Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2014 Gold
- Platter's Guide 2015 4 stars
- Vitis Vinifera Awards 2014 Gold