Paul Clüver Leads South African Charge at International Wine Challenge with 3 Gold Medals

Paul Clüver Family Wines from Elgin secured three Gold medals at this year’s International Wine Challenge (IWC) held in London and recognised as one of the most rigorously judged and most trusted global wine competitions. The total tally of Gold medals bestowed on South African wines was 15, Paul Clüver winning three of these for its Sauvignon Blanc 2023 and its esteemed Estate Chardonnay from the 2021 and 2022 vintages.

The IWC is judged by 500 international wine experts and draws thousands of wines from 38 countries.

Andries Burger, cellarmaster at Paul Clüver Family Wines, says that for one producer to win three Gold medals at the illustrious IWC is an honour and recognition of consistency in viticulture, quality winemaking and expression of the geographical origin of the place where the vineyards for these wines are grown.

“As a pioneer of Chardonnay in the Elgin wine region, the two IWC Golds for our Estate Chardonnay vindicates the commitment Paul Clüver Family Wines has shown to this cultivar since first planting it on the De Rust farm 37 years ago,” he says.

“Over the years the soils of Bokkeveld shale and clay, together with the coolest climate of any Cape wine region, has led to Chardonnay finding a unique home in Elgin with distinctive nuances in its flavour profile. Couple this with we at Paul Clüver having an ethos bordering on the Chardonnay fanatical spectrum with a desire to make world-class wines from this grape, and we believe we have what it takes to offer phenomenal Chardonnays.

“But belief is one thing – gaining tangible recognition such as that in this year’s IWC vindicates your passion and commitment.”

Burger says that the IWC Gold medal for Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is a great honour. “South Africa has so many brilliant Sauvignon Blancs and it is also an extremely competitive global category where one comes-up against the likes of Sancerre and New Zealand,” he says.

“To deliver the IWC goods one thus has to present a Sauvignon Blanc with a real x-factor, and once again I ascribe this to Elgin’s soils, cool-climate and extreme differences in diurnal temperature. Sauvignon Blanc loves cool and cold, and in combination with our soils Elgin can make some of the best in the country – and, as the IWC has shown, in the world.”