The Galvanised Chardonnay 2025 - Single

Features

Description

Hogan The Galvanised Chardonnay 2025 is Jocelyn Hogan Wilsons precise, quietly complex expression of Chardonnay, built around old French oak, natural fermentation and two distinctly different Stellenbosch sites. For 2025, the fruit comes from two vineyards. 80% is sourced from a 22-year-old Chardonnay vineyard on Summercourt Farm on the Simonsberg Mountain, planted at around 400 metres altitude in Banhoek.

The remaining 20% comes from a 12-year-old vineyard in the Firgrove area of the Helderberg. The two vineyards are planted to different French Chardonnay clones, CY548 and CY277 respectively. That's an important change from the 2024, which came entirely from the older Banhoek site. The additional Helderberg component gives Jocelyn another building block while retaining the restrained style for which The Galvanised has become known.

The grapes are hand-picked and hand-sorted before being gently whole-bunch pressed. After overnight settling at 10C, the juice goes directly to old French oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation, followed by natural malolactic fermentation. There's minimal b*tonnage, and the wine spends 10 months in 225L and 300L barrels, with no new oak.

This isn't the big, buttery school of Chardonnay. It's about fruit concentration, freshness, texture and just enough reduction and savouriness to make things interesting. Tasting Notes Colour: Pale straw gold with a bright, youthful appearance. Nose: Fresh lemon and citrus lead the way, followed by oatmeal, subtle vanilla and a gentle reductive character.

There's a restrained leesy complexity rather than obvious oakiness. Palate: Beautifully composed and concentrated. Ripe citrus fruit is balanced by bright acidity, while natural malolactic fermentation and time on lees provide a lightly creamy texture. It's neither overly rich nor aggressively lean there's a lovely sense of balance through the middle of the palate.

Finish: Long, dry and gently savoury, with lingering citrus, subtle creaminess and restrained oak. Awards & Accolades 95 Points Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za 95 Points Miguel Chan, Group Sommelier, Southern Sun Hotels Technical Details Producer: Hogan WinesWinemaker: Jocelyn Hogan WilsonVintage: 2025Wine of Origin: BanhoekGrape Variety: 100% ChardonnayVineyards: Summercourt Farm, Simonsberg (80%) & Firgrove, Helderberg (20%)Main Vineyard Altitude: 400mVine Age: 22 years & 12 yearsClones: CY548 & CY277Harvest: Hand-picked & hand-sortedPressing: Gentle whole-bunch pressingSettling: Overnight at 10CFermentation: Natural / spontaneous fermentationFermentation Vessel: French oak barrelsMalolactic Fermentation: NaturalB*tonnage: MinimalMaturation: 10 monthsOak: 100% old French oakBarrel Size: 225L & 300LABV: 12,5%Total Acidity: 5.93g/LpH: 3.20Bottle Size: 750ml