La Motte Estate

At A Glance

Field: Detail
Place: R45 Main Road, Franschhoek Valley
Cultivars: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
Flagship: Hanneli R
Farming: Biologic production
Estate distinction: WWF Conservation Championship status

The Producer

At R45 Main Road in the Franschhoek Valley, La Motte Estate works with grapes from La Motte managed vineyards and affiliated family farms in various regions. Hanneli Rupert owns the estate, Kobie Lochner is CEO, and Edmund Terblanche is cellarmaster. The named cultivars include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Place

Franschhoek Valley is La Motte's home, with the estate's physical address on R45 Main Road. The grape supply extends to La Motte managed vineyards and affiliated family owned farms situated in various regions. The cultivar list includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, giving the cellar access to white and red varieties across its wider supply base.

Story

Dr. Anton Rupert acquired La Motte in 1970. The acquisition was followed by progressive vineyard replanting, the introduction of updated viticultural practices, and construction of a modern cellar. The redevelopment changed both the plant material in the vineyards and the facilities used for wine production. La Motte's current estate combines that rebuilt vineyard and cellar base with management under Hanneli Rupert and Kobie Lochner.

Vineyards And Cellar

Senior Farm Manager Jaco Visser oversees the La Motte vineyards. Satellite monitoring and infrared scanning refine vineyard management, while biologic production forms part of the estate's farming practice. La Motte holds WWF Conservation Championship status with biodiversity conservation as its objective, alongside ISO 14001 and HACCP certification and accreditation.

Cellar work includes hand selection of berries and barrel maturation. Hand selection focuses the fermentation on chosen fruit, while oak maturation gives wine time in wood and adds texture through gradual oxygen exposure. The 2022 Syrah matured for 15 months in 300 litre French oak barrels, with 30% new wood, 30% second fill, and the remainder in older barrels. The components of the 2012 Hanneli R were fermented separately, matured in 300 litre oak barrels, and blended after 40 months.

Wines

The estate groups Cap Classique NV, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in its reserve tasting. A separate Pierneef tasting includes Sauvignon Blanc and Atelier Syrah Viognier, while Hanneli R is presented as the flagship.

The 2022 Syrah contains 15% Durif. The 2012 Hanneli R is a red blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 10% Petit Syrah. These bottles give the range different grape proportions and different cellar histories without changing the estate's core address in Franschhoek Valley.

In The Glass

La Motte Chardonnay opens with citrus blossom, mandarin and winter melon, followed by French nougat and pistachio. The palate is silky and juicy, with a fresh finish reminiscent of lemon meringue tart.

The 2022 Syrah brings ripe mulberry, black olive and aniseed. It is fresh and juicy, with a smooth, mellow texture, vibrant cherry fruit, medium body and a generous finish. The producer expects this release to continue evolving in complexity over the next 15 years.

The 2012 Hanneli R carries rose petal perfume, blackberry and mulberry fruit, cinnamon and black pepper. Its tannins hold the wine through a lingering finish.

A Bottle To Understand It

The 2024 La Motte Chardonnay is the bottle to open first. It was partly barrel fermented, while about 10% was fermented in stainless steel without malolactic fermentation. The wine then matured in French oak, with 20% of the barrels new. The bottle puts barrel work, stainless steel fermentation and oak maturation into one clearly defined Chardonnay release.

Anecdote

Hanneli Rupert's former career as a mezzo-soprano became part of La Motte's programme of classical music concerts. The concerts are presented from the Historic Cellar on the estate, linking Rupert's musical life with the property she now owns. The programme sits alongside La Motte's wine operation, whose reserve tasting includes Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, with Hanneli R presented separately as the flagship.

Final Word

La Motte Estate is a Franschhoek Valley estate with Rupert family ownership, biologic production, and wines that move from reserve Chardonnay and Syrah to the Hanneli R flagship.

At A Glance

The Producer

Place

Story

Vineyards And Cellar

Wines

In The Glass

A Bottle To Understand It

Anecdote

Final Word

Sources

Where to go next