Wine Composition

100% Chardonnay

Winemakers Comments

Fermented and matured in French oak barrels, this medium bodied Chardonnay presents aromas of citrus and hints of peach on the nose with nuttiness on the mid-palate. It is fresh with an underlying minerality but balanced by a long creamy finish

Awards

Tim Atkin | 94 points

Technical Analysis

Alcohol Percentage 

13%

TA

7.2 g/l

pH

3.25

RS

2.6 g/l 

Cellar Techniques

De-stalked, crushed, pressed & settled in stainless steel tanks before the clear juice was fermented in 228 L French oak barrels. Small portion whole bunch pressed. Wood maturation 10 months in French oak barrels, 35% new, and the balance in 3rd/4th fill

Winemaker

Name - Gyles Webb (Cellar master), Rudi Schultz and Duncan Clarke

Winery

Thelema, situated on the spectacular Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, is a family owned and managed wine estate and the home of Thelema and Sutherland Vineyards wines. Gyles Webb bought Thelema, a charming dilapidated fruit farm, in 1983 with the help of his wife’s family. Fruit orchards were pulled out and vines were planted. The manor house was restored and the first wines under the Thelema label were released in 1988. The ripe pure-fruited wines were a revelation to many and it wasn’t long before the romantic tale of a run-down old fruit farm became the success story of an avant-garde winery. By the mid 90's Thelema’s wines sold out within a month after release, making it one of the most sought-after wine estates in South Africa. 
The high altitude and the deep red soils are ideal for premium quality wine grape production.
"We do not buy in any grapes and all wines are bottled on the estate to maintain absolute control over every aspect of the wine production. The terroir in combination with Gyles Webb’s wine making style result in flavourful, flamboyant, complex and long-lasting wines with a distinctive South African character. In 2000, Gyles moved into the role of cellar master and handed over the winemaking duties to the talented Rudi Schultz (one of the famous Schultz winemaking brothers). We hope you enjoy our wines and it would be a pleasure to welcome you at Thelema for a chat and a taste of our latest release."