Paul Cluver Riesling 2018 – R/Up Double Gold 2019.

Wine No.3 in the Archive Review from the 2019 Six Nations Wine Challenge takes us to South Africa’s Elgin region in the Western Cape – to a specialist Riesling producer, Paul Cluver. 🥂

Most the grapes for this vintage came from the 31-year-old Riesling block with a small percentage from the younger blocks. 🍇

In addition to vineyard sorting, a second stage of bunch and berry sorting occurs at the cellar to eliminate all traces of rot. Limited skin contact prior to fermentation. 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 wines with lower sugar levels are left on the lees this adds a creamy texture to the wine. The wine is then blended, stabilized and prepared for bottling. 32% fermented in large 2500 l oval oak vats. 🌳

VARIETAL : Riesling
VINTAGE : 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣8️⃣
PEAK DRINKING : 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣ – 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

AWARDS 🏅
93 Points – Tim Atkin MW

The nose is expressive with fresh green apple 🍏 and citrus blossom 🍋 notes. The palate is delicate with elegantly clean and zesty lime notes. There is a great interplay between the naturally retained residual sugar and 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 lingering after taste. (Paul Cluver Website)

Judges Comments:

Palish colour, very fine fragrance, delicate and off-dry. Appetising and tense with a clean finish – delicious! Huon Hooke, Australian Judge

Clean apple and lime fruit, hints of floral blossom and wild honey. Crisp acidity, elegant palate, long finish – Terry Copeland, New Zealand Judge

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