Chardonnay, Vrede, Hemel en Aarde, 2023
Typically the more giving of the two Chardonnays, Vrede offers ripe orchard fruits, citrus and a trace of white honey, complimenting a touch of soft nectarine. Tensile and fine and a lovely fruit driven Chardonnay carried at just 12.5% alcohol. Vrede Chardonnay – or Peace Chardonnay – hails from a northeast-facing slope in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld shale soil. Ageing took place 25% new French barrique over 11 months. Since 2022, all wines are closed with DIAM corks.
critic reviews
The 2023 Chardonnay Vrede is raised in 32% new oak, with the wine going 75% through malo. This has a fragrant bouquet with orange blossom, citrus fruit and light stony scents. Very good definition and focus. The palate is very well balanced and side-by-side this has more nervosité and mineralité. Precise and focused on the finish with plenty of sapidity, this is an excellent Chardonnay from Hannes Storm.
The Storm 2023 Hemel-En-Aarde Valley Chardonnay Vrede comes from a site a mere 1.3 kilometers from the cool Atlantic Ocean. "This is a big wine in a small package," says winemaker and proprietor Hannes Storm. It reveals tight phenolic grip and a richer style with citrus marmalade and yellow orchard fruits. You practically taste salt crystals on thickened grape skins. It offers terrific length thanks to that extra structure, finishes dry and closes with flinty mineral sensations. The 2023 vintage was rainy. Hannes Storm harvested on a Friday, and a heavy storm the next day dropped five inches of rain, causing flooding and visible erosion in the surrounding mountains.