From Burgundy to Elgin: A Rare Union of Tradition and Innovation

This unique Chardonnay is a collaboration between Paul Clüver Family Wines and Martin Prieur from the famous Burgundy family of Domaine Jacques Prieur. The wine’s name is derived from the site where the vineyard is situated on Paul Clüver Estate, a Chardonnay known as “oggendkop” – morning hillock, or collin du matin in Martin Prieur’s mother-tongue.

Paul Clüver Jnr, MD of Paul Clüver Family Wines, says Collin du Matin Chardonnay is the culmination of a long professional, personal and practical relationship between the Clüver family and Martin Prieur. “Our journey with Martin Prieur, one of the esteemed proprietors of the renowned Domaine Jacques Prieur in Meursault – one of the rarest mosaics of terroirs in Burgundy – has contributed to the Clüvers’ outlook on wine, terroir and our very lives as wine-people,” says Paul.

“Together, we have embarked on a shared passion for crafting exceptional wines that capture the essence of our collective dreams and aspirations.

“Every moment we have spent together, engaged in spirited debates, uncorking precious bottles, sharing hearty meals, envisioning the future, navigating through frustrations, revelling in celebrations, and exercising joint patience, has become the inspiration behind the creation of this exceptional wine.”

Paul says this relationship has resulted in a limited-edition Chardonnay bearing the names Clüver and Prieur, made from a specific vineyard on the Paul Clüver estate planted by the Cluvers, Martin and winemaker Andries Burger – a vineyard known as “oggendkop”. The vineyard is planted in soils of Bokkeveld shale and clay and is exposed to the cool climate for which Elgin is renowned.

After hand-harvesting, the berries were sorted to ensure that only pure, unblemished fruit could continue vinification. After spontaneous fermentation, the wine was matured for 12 years in French oak, 25% of which was new.

Paul Clüver winemaker Andries Burger says the wine has a distinctive flavour profile derived from the unique site. Collin du Matin was released five years after harvest, having spent four years drawing complexity in the bottle.

“Of course, our friend Martin Prieur was involved in every step of its making, so an uncompromising Burgundian touch complemented the Clüver element of human terroir,” says Andries. “Every good wine has its own personality, and I can state the Collin du Matin Chardonnay shows a delightful, warm-hearted multitude of them.”