.: De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2019 launched at Sea Breeze restaurant, Cape Town

Saturday, June 22, 2019

De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2019 launched at Sea Breeze restaurant, Cape Town

When certain wine farms release a new vintage, one's expectations are high. Especially when they have wines we love to drink like De Wetshof who produce 5 different and all excellent Chardonnays. And we were not certainly disappointed with this year’s Limestone Hill, which is their most popular and most reasonably priced of them all

DeWetshof Wines: www.dewetshof.com

The launch was held over lunch at Sea Breeze restaurant in Bree Street

A new venue for us and one which was on our list of places to visit

It certainly warrants a return, soon, and might just be Lynne's choice for her birthday in August

A clever way to let you know what’s on the menu

And a glass of the Limestone Hill was there to welcome us. The minerality shows first, then the typical, slightly bready chardonnay nose of golden citrus. On the palate, fullness with ripe lemon and some apple and peach notes, a little chalkiness, with salty minerality and a hint of tropical fruit on the long finish. Very refreshing, eminently quaffable and great with food. This was confirmed as we drank it throughout the meal. As famous wine critic Robert Parker said in the past:"... this wine possesses far better balance and sheer drinkability – not to mention more finesse – than 99% of the world’s Chardonnay I have experienced.” High praise indeed. It is our Wine of the Week. R99 on the farm and available with delivery included at R116 from wine.co.za

Johann de Wet awaits arrivals inside the restaurant

And lots of Limestone Hill was poured

PRO Journalist Emile Joubert told us that, this year in Kyoto in Japan, the Japanese sommeliers voted Limestone Hill

their Oyster Wine of the Year and it is now one of the top selling Chardonnays in that country

Johann de Wet told us that drought has played its part in their vineyards. They do get water from the Brandvlei dam and so they have enough water, but they have tried to conserve it as much as possible. He told us that 2019 will be one of the best vintages they have had for white wine. The wines have more structure and depth and good chemistry. The Limestone Hill is from four vineyards next to the cellar which are high in limestone and clay, which give minerality and salty layers, making this a good food wine

The media listen intently

and use social media on their phones to report on the tasting

The older journalists make extensive notes for writing up the tasting, as you see Graham Howe and Lynne doing

The lunch menu

Those who can eat oysters got this wonderful plate of six on ice: 3 from Saldanha Bay & 3 from Knysna, with a cucumber, lime, horseradish and Amasi (local fermented milk) dressing, plus lemon slices

The well trained staff

Sea Breeze is owned and run by Britons Alex and Ruth Grahame, previously of the Hornblower’s seafood restaurant in Gourdon, Scotland. He explained that pairing seafood with wine highlighted the hard work of winemakers and the terroir. The citrus flavours of this wine were paired to compliment the food we would be eating as, in its turn, the food enhanced the flavours of the wine

Lynne cannot eat oysters (she loves them but they do not like her) and this was the excellent dish served as her starter. Superb large peeled prawns with a spicy red cabbage, pineapple and carrot slaw, with chilli peanuts and some sesame mayo. This dish made her resolve to return soon

The oysters, large and plump and fresh

The main course of gently seared Yellowfin tuna steaks (in season at the moment and sustainably caught), very tender, served with baby carrots and fennel, sautéed new potatoes, radish and a herb pesto. It was a perfect dish to go with the Limestone Hill, a lovely blend of flavours and textures. It certainly did encourage one to partake more of this very drinkable wine! We were Ubering home