This bright Sauvignon Blanc with an alluring green hue offers an impressive range of aromas on the nose with scents of nettles, black-currant and white flowers evident. The expression on the nose follows through to the palate with discernible notes of passionfruit and gooseberry complemented by a bracing salinity, the mouthfeel being one of complexity and length. A fresh wine with great balanced acidity and a lingering finish.
The ideal wine aperitif but best enjoyed with food. A refreshing wine which pairs well with salads and seafood dishes. Richer seafood and cheese platters make it work through autumn and winter.
variety : Sauvignon Blanc [ 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sémillon ]
winemaker : Andries Burger
wine of origin : Elgin
analysis : alc : 13.65 % vol rs : 2.2 g/l pH : 3.33 ta : 6.8 g/l
type : White style : Dry body : Medium taste : Fragrant
pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Screwcap
in the vineyard : The first plantings of Sauvignon Blanc on our Estate commenced in 1990 and the youngest vineyards planted in 2020. A total of 23.5 hectares are planted to Sauvignon blanc, ranging from vineyards of between 3 and 30 years old. We have a diversity of clones planted (316, 317, 242, 159, 11, 905, 376, 108 and 215) to provide us with a range of diverse flavours and complexity in our Sauvignon blanc. The soil is predominantly weathered Bokkeveld shale with underlying clay. Slopes are of various aspects but mostly South and Southeast facing. Vineyard elevation ranges from 280m to 480m above sea level.
about the harvest: After a cold winter with good, replenishing rainfall our vineyards experienced superb growing conditions in the lead up to the 2023 harvest. The moderate day temperatures and cool nights of spring and early summer were ideal for the development of diverse flavours in the grapes as well as retaining high natural acidities. The Sauvignon blanc harvest started on the 7th of March and finished on the 22nd of March. Picking was in the cool early hours of the morning with the harvested grapes placed in cold storage overnight to add an extra dimension of varietal expression. Grapes were harvested between 21-23.6° Brix.
in the cellar : Paul Clüver Sauvignon blanc has always been recognized for its elegance, balance between vibrant freshness and tropical complexity – all an expression of our terroir, and the 2023 is evidence to this. Our role in the cellar is to highlight the typicity of our Estate but also the vintage. Pressing of the grapes is gentle and throughout the winemaking process careful attention is paid to handling our fruit to ensure we produce only the best quality Sauvignon blanc. To add further complexity and a richer mid-palate we blended 5% Sémillon to the Sauvignon blanc. 100% of the Sémillon was fermented and aged in 2500 L foudres.