For the fourth consecutive year a Chardonnay from De Wetshof Estate in Robertson realised the highest bid for a white wine at the Nederburg Auction. At this year’s Auction a six-bottle case of De Wetshof Finesse Chardonnay 1993 was sold for R4 800, vindicating cellarmaster Danie de Wet’s belief that well-made South African Chardonnay from proven site-specific vineyards has the potential to age magnificently under the correct cellar conditions.

The Finesse, a lightly wooded wine made from site-specific vineyard sites on De Wetshof’s limestone-rich soils, is one of the Estate’s best known and most popular wines.

“The fact that this 20 year old wine and our other Chardonnays command such good prices at South Africa’s premier wine auction shows that pedigree and reputation play – and will continue to play – a major role in the recognition of any wine,” says De Wet.

“For me the 1993 Finesse was a good wine from the outset, but two decades ago I would not have been able to predict it achieving such a reputation. To see this happen is definitely very satisfying and rewarding. At the end of the day, this is what we viticulturists and winemakers work towards.”

This is the same wine that won Danie the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year Award in 1995.

The De Wetshof Finesse originates from various vineyards characterised by rocky gravel soils rich in limestone but with a significant clay component which assists in the soils’ water-retention capacity. This clay component helps the vines to develop strong citrus flavours with a pronounced nuttiness on the mid-palate which leads through to a clean finish with zesty citrus notes.

“The chalky component in the soils plays a major role in the Chardonnay’s ability to age, and the Finesse 1993 has aged beautifully,” says De Wet. “The colour is clear and bright, and the flavours complex, vivid and fresh. A true tribute to the aging potential of South African Chardonnay, which I believe deserves more recognition.”