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Paul Cluver 'Dry Encounter' Riesling 2012

The colour is pale, with a beautiful green apple tint. The nose shows ripe green apple, apple blossom, beeswax and fynbos honey notes. The palate is crisp and clean - lemon sorbet-like however has some more palate weight than one normally would expect. There is a great interplay between the naturally retained residual sugar and the acidity. Generally regarded as restrained, it displays typical Riesling 'nervousness'. The mineral core, which is linked to the shale rich soils in which the vines grow, astounds. It is the reason for the wine structure and the lingering after taste. Perfect hot weather wine - very refreshing.

Gorgonzola and roasted sweet potato salad with honey dressing. Pan fried prawns with paprika, toasted sesame and yoghurt dressing. Roast pork chops with pomegranate and coriander salsa.
variety : Riesling [ 100% Riesling ]
winemaker : Andries Burger
wine of origin : Elgin
analysis : alc : 12.0 % vol  rs : 8.6 g/l  pH : 3.15  ta : 7.6 g/l  
type : Red  
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  
in the vineyard : In 2012 we harvested from 12.1Ha of Riesling which reprecents 15% of our total plantings. The majority of the grapes for this vintage came from the 25 year old Riesling block with a small percentage from the younger blocks. The soil in the older block varies from a 'ferricrete' top layer (surficial sand and gravel masses) on decomposed Bokkeveld Shale and/or light clay. The younger blocks are also on duplex soils, but dominated by shale. The average gradient is 1:7 and height above sea level is 300 meters.

about the harvest: The summer months gave us some wind and less rain, allowing a drier growing season, with few really hot days. Harvesting started 23 February and the last grapes were picked on the 15th of March at between 20.8° - 22.5° B
in the cellar : Paul Cluver Wines currently makes three styles of Riesling wines. In addition to this Riesling, a sweeter style Riesling and a dessert wine is also made.

In addition to vineyard sorting, a second stage of bunch and berry sorting occurs at the cellar to eliminate all traces of rot. Skin contact prior to fermentation is done to extract flavour and reduce acidity - duration varies, this year we left the grapes on the skins for 6 - 8 hrs. Pressing is always gentle. Only free run juice is fermented. After settling, the juice is fermented using a selected yeast culture. Fermentation is stopped on some of the wine, generally the batches with the highest acidity. The wine with lower sugar levels is left on the lees this adds a creamy texture to the wine. The wine is then blended, stabilized and prepared for bottling.

Release Date: June 2013
Production: 410 cases (X12)
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Paul Cluver 'Dry Encounter' Riesling 2012
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