Pitch-perfect Chardonnay: Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay 2017
We taste a lot of SA’s finest Chardonnays and this one is a near-perfect expression. It’s exceptionally pure and electric with a beautiful balance between the defined fruit and freshness that characterises the excellent 2017 vintage. Tasted blind, the Paul Cluver 2017 Estate Chardonnay scored an impressive 94/100 in the Winemag Prescient Chardonnay Report top 10.
It recently came across my desk again and we were blown away by how this wine just keeps on getting better. The nose is perfumed with notes of lemon, lime blossom, yellow stone fruit, wet stones and a hint of oak spice. Medium-bodied, but offering a dazzling, enlivening freshness that promises great maturation potential. SA Chardonnay is world-class and, as a result, they demand premium prices. While the 2017 Estate Chardonnay is in the same league as SA’s premier cuvées, it’s half the price.
Paul Cluver has led the way for Elgin to become SA’s leading Chardonnay region and this finely-crafted, complex and beautiful wine is testament to their success. The Estate Chardonnay is produced from a combination of vineyards, including some of the oldest Chardonnay blocks in SA which were planted in 1987. This is a ‘must-have’ for all serious white wine lovers – delicious, nuanced and just masterful!
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