.: Longridge launches 2013 Clos de Ciel Chardonnay

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Longridge launches 2013 Clos de Ciel Chardonnay

To Longridge for the release of their Clos du Ciel (Heavenly vineyard) 2013 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Later that afternoon, we drove to Longridge for the release celebration of this very elegant Organic and Biodynamic Chardonnay from a nearly 30 year old vineyard originally planted by John and Eric Platter. Longridge have revived the vineyard which contains not one but 9 different clones of Chardonnay – something the French do in Burgundy. 5000 vines were planted incredibly close together so there can be no mechanical farming and everything has to be done by hand. An enormous amount of lime was added to the soil by the Platters to mimic the French growing conditions. John Platter spoke about why they did it and winemaker Jasper Raats told us how he resurrected the vines and made the wine. The vineyard was rented out for several years by the owner after the Platters left the farm and Longridge then were able to hire it. They have taken over the management of the vineyard to restore it to its former glory and to produce this lovely wine in the Burgundian style

We were transported from the Restaurant car park up through the vineyards to the house and old cellar ...

...and were welcomed with a glass of the Longridge Brut MCC

The menu for the evening

Lots of bubbly

It is a very pretty setting under the trees

Three wines were available for quaffing.... Or tasting, according to your transport arrangements

Popcorn with paprika

Late afternoon chat

More guests arriving in the farm vehicles

Sofas for comfort and the Clos du Ciel Chardonnay under wraps on the porch

Winemaker Jasper Raats tells us about the wine

and introduces John Platter

who told us the story of how he bought the farm and planted the chardonnay vineyard

He told us about the vast quantities of Lime they dug into the soil

Duimpie Bayly and his wife

Caroline Rillema chatting

Erica and John Platter about to reveal the new Chardonnay

TA DA! And we get to see the labels for the first time

Trays of the Clos du Ciel Chardonnay 2013 were quickly circulated so that we could all taste it. Lynne found it to be very French in style, showing vanilla oak, wood smoke, some salty minerality with golden fruit on the nose and crisp limes and lemons on the palate. It has long fruit flavours and nice elegance. One to savour

Erica Platter, Hendrien de Munck (Longridge winemaker), Jasper Raats, John Platter

And toast its success. It is a limited release and will retail at approximately R500 a bottle on the farm and at good wine outlets

The new label depicts the surface of the moon and apparently there are some hidden secrets in the image. Harvest of this year’s crop was done two days before full moon last week when the fruit character of the grapes would have been at its best according to biodynamic principles