Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Wonderfully balanced with passion fruit, grapefruit and citrus flowers on the nose. The palate is complex with all the aromas from the nose coming through and with a distinct mineral aftertaste. The mid palate is quite broad and complex with a richness given by the touch of Semillon blended with the Sauvignon blanc and also the extended time the wine spent on the fine lees.

This wine enjoys the company of goats milk cheese, asparagus, artichokes, fresh fish, salad leaves and green vegetables. It is also a natural choice for a pre-dinner drink or to accompany a good lunch. Try it with roasted poultry and nutty gruyere cheese; or tempt the taste buds together with sushi and sashimi.

variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 91.3% Sauvignon Blanc, 8.7% Semillon ]
winemaker : Andries Burger
wine of origin : Elgin, South Africa
analysis : alc : 13.41 % vol  rs : 1.0 g/l  pH : 3.29  ta : 6.7 g/l  
type : White  style : Dry  body : Medium  taste : Mineral  
pack : Bottle  closure : Screwcap  

AWARDS
2007 Vintage
2008 Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards – Silver Award
Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Four Stars John Platter 2008

2006 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 2006 First Class listing on British Airways

2004 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Silver Medal at the Decanter Wine Competition 2005

2003 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Best SA Sauvignon Blanc in the Trinations 2004
Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Four and a half stars in the Perswijn Magazine, The Netherlands
Sauvignon Blanc 2003 One of the top 10 white wines chosen by Decanter Magazine
Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Bronze Fairbairn Capital trophy

2002 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 2002 Gold Medal at the Michelangelo Wine Awards

2001 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Bronze at International Wine Challenge 2002

1999 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 1999 One of only 23 silver medals, four from SA, awarded at the 2000 International Wine Challenge in UK. (No gold medals awarded)

1998 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 1998 First and Business Class listing on SAA

1997 Vintage
Sauvignon Blanc 1997 Merit Award at the 1999 International Wine Challenge

ageing : A refined wine, with underlying mineral notes and a very clean exit, it is sure to develop positively over the next few years, a feature of our Sauvignon Blanc wines in general.

in the vineyard : The 2008 vintage is generally regarded as one of the more difficult vintages in the Cape. Lots of rain just prior to harvest time added to our normal pre-harvest stress levels. Subsequent to the rain was very tight bunches with swollen berries and in extreme cases even berries that burst due to the increased moisture available to the vines.

It was a vintage where the winemakers with a bit more patience and nerves of steel and who waited were rewarded. It was best to wait a little longer for the grapes to fully mature, running the risk of botrytis infection due to the favourable weather conditions. Fortunately we make extensive use of sorting tables and adopted our vineyard practices in order to minimize the chances of botrytis infection.

about the harvest: Grapes were harvested from the end of February till mid-March at 22° - 23° Brix. The average yield was 6.5 tons/ha.

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