Newsletter August 2024
What has been a long, cold and wet winter should soon be making way for spring, although our farm already has a sunny appearance with the bright yellow fields of canola plants that meet visitors upon entering. These will make way for new vineyards within a month or two as young Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines will be put into the soil, just as the new vineyard growing season begins.
Currently, the vines are neatly pruned and standing gnarled and bare among the thick cover-crops, a feature of Paul Clüver’s ethos of regenerative farming.
On the wine front, next month sees the count-down to this year’s Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Auction, which will be held on 4 and 5 October. This is the 40th time the auction is taking place, with its members representing the best of the Cape’s winemakers having made wines especially for the event.
Andries Burger, Paul Clüver Family Wines winemaker, has been a member of the CWG since 2010 and has once again made the famous Paul Clüver Wines Wagon Trail Chardonnay for the auction, this wine being from the 2023 vintage.
This Chardonnay has been a regular feature at the CWG auction for some years now and it has built-up a loyal and keen following of wine-lovers who follow the auction in South Africa as well as from other areas of the world. The Wagon Trail is a very distinctive Chardonnay, made from vineyards planted in 1987, marking the first commercial Chardonnay planting in the Elgin region. It holds the distinction of being the first Elgin vineyard to carry Certified Heritage Status from the Old Vine Project. This wine is exclusively made from whole bunch pressed Chardonnay grapes and undergoes spontaneous fermentation. Andries describes this year’s Wagon Trail Chardonnay as: The nose shows aromas of wildflowers and citrus, while the palate has great structure of balance and poise. This allows for the expression of classic Chardonnay flavours of green almond, citrus and white flowers.
Enough to get lovers of the Wagon Trail reserving their bidding places…..
Two new wine vintages have been released by Paul Clüver Family Wines, namely Sauvignon Blanc 2024 and the Estate Pinot Noir 2023, which are now on the market.
The Sauvignon Blanc underscores 2024 as being an excellent year for white wines and this wine shows just how conducive the Paul Clüver Elgin terroir is for making fine Sauvignon Blanc. The grape variety loves a cool climate and together with the soils of Bokkeveld shale and vineyard elevation of between 240m and 400m, the environment allows Sauvignon Blanc to display layered complexity underscored by that well-loved bracing freshness.
Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2024 exudes alluring tropical notes, and the subtle palate-weight is a result of a 5% component of Sémillon Andries adds to the wine to give it the wine a bit of extra depth and poise.
Also released is Paul Clüver Estate Pinot Noir from the notoriously wet 2023 vintage during which the Cape winelands experienced torrential rains in March and April. However, an eye on the weather forecasts and some logistical planning showing military precision saw the Pinot Noir harvested and reaching the winery in optimal health.
One of the features of the Paul Clüver Estate Pinot Noir is that the wine is ready for satisfying the taste of Pinot Noir lovers upon its release, while the quality of the grapes and meticulous winemaking ensures the wine will age gracefully for five to 10 years – even more if stored correctly – and pick-up extraordinary varietal nuances along the way. Opened now, this Pinot Noir is gorgeous.
The nose has delicate earthy aromas combined with red and dark berry flavours. On the palate these characteristics follow through, combining with interesting savoury notes and just a touch of oak and a long lingering finish.
Danie Stemmet, new vineyard manager on Paul Clüver Family Wines, is relishing the opportunity of overseeing the 68ha of premium vines on this farm in the cool-climate Elgin region. One of his first responsibilities is managing the planting of 4.6ha of new Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards at the farm entrance, formerly the home of some of the De Rust Estate’s apple orchards.
“The wet conditions – especially after the relentless July rains – are making for challenging conditions, but hopefully we can get planting in spring,” says Danie, who hails from Paarl and studied vini- and viticulture at the Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute. “But the soils are prepared, irrigation pipes laid and the poles set, so now all we have to do is get the vines into the soils once conditions allow.”
Danie has experience in working in the Cape’s cooler climates, his previous post being at Ataraxia Wines in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.
“As a trained winemaker I am aware of the unique qualities vines growing in cool climates bring to the final products, and have always been an admirer of the wines of Paul Clüver which, have proven themselves to be of the country’s best,” he says.
“Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are cultivars that have made Elgin one of the country’s leading wine regions, but I am especially excited to work with the Riesling vineyards, as this variety intrigues me. As a viticulturist I have seen that in the vineyard each cultivar has different nuances and requires its own approach. Working in these vineyards on a farm that pioneered viticulture in Elgin 37yrs ago is a real privilege, as is following the Paul Clüver Wines’ ethos of regenerative farming.
“The most rewarding part will be to taste the wines Andries and his team made from my first year in the vineyards, and I just can’t wait.”
Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce.
Treat yourself to the exquisite flavours of this Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce, featuring juicy duck breasts and a luscious cherry sauce. The robust taste of seared duck is complemented by the subtle sweetness of pitted black cherries, enhanced by red wine and balsamic vinegar for a complex and delightful flavour profile. Whether for a special occasion or an elevated weeknight dinner, this recipe is sure to impress. Pair it with our Paul Clüver Pinot Noir.