Technical Analysis
Currently there are 22 hectares planted to Pinot Noir on the estate, 27.6% of the total plantings. Only Burgundian clones are used for this cuvée.
Tasting note
This wine has a lovely luminosity – the colour is bright crimson. 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.
Vintage conditions
The growing season of the vines, prior and during to the 2022 harvest, consisted of moderate day temperatures and cool night temperatures which was ideal for the development of quality grapes. Harvesting the Pinot noir started on the 24th of February and finishing the 22nd of March. Picking of the grapes took place in the early hours of the morning and stored in cold storage overnight to ensure optimal quality.
Vinification details
Extensive individual berry sorting was done by hand prior to crushing, followed by cold maceration at 12°- 14° Celsius for 6-8 days. The fermentation was allowed to start naturally, then inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast after 4-5 days to ensure a complete fermentation. During fermentation, the skin cap was punched through by hand twice a day. After fermentation and pressing, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation. (16% new, 241% 2nd and the rest 3rd and 4th fill.) Maturation in oak was for 12 months, on the lees for the full period. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was racked (displaced using Nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.
AWARDS
Technical Analysis
Currently there are 22 hectares planted to Pinot Noir on the estate, 27.6% of the total plantings. Only Burgundian clones are used for this cuvée.
Tasting note
This wine has a lovely luminosity, the colour bright crimson. 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 a long lingering finish.
Vintage conditions
The growing season consisted of moderate day and cool night temperatures which was ideal for the development of quality grapes. The area was fortunate to receive good rainfall in October 2020/January 2021 benefitting the vineyards greatly. Harvesting of the Pinot Noir started on 22nd Feb and finished 16th March. Picking took place in the early hours of the morning and stored in cold storage overnight for optimal quality.
Vinification details
Extensive individual berry sorting was done by hand prior to crushing, followed by cold maceration at 12°- 14° Celsius for 6-8 days. The fermentation was allowed to start naturally, then inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast after 4-5 days to ensure a complete fermentation. During fermentation, the skin cap was punched through by hand twice a day. After fermentation and pressing, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation. (20% new, 41% 2nd and the rest 3rd and 4th fill.) Maturation in oak was for 12 months, on the lees for the full period. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was racked (displaced using Nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 93 pts
IWC: Silver
Technical Analysis
Currently there are 22 hectares planted to Pinot Noir on the estate, 27.6% of the total plantings. Only Burgundian clones are used for this cuvée.
Tasting note
This wine has a lovely luminosity, the colour bright crimson. 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.
Vintage conditions
The growing season of the vines, prior and during to the 2020 harvest, consisted of moderate day temperatures and cool night temperatures which was ideal for the development of quality grapes. The area was fortunate to receive more than average rain in October 2019 and January 2020 which benefited the vineyards greatly. Harvesting of the Pinot noir started on 4th of February and finishing 28th of February Picking of the grapes took place in the early hours of the morning and stored in cold storage overnight to ensure optimal quality.
Vinification details
Extensive berry sorting was done by hand prior to crushing, then cold maceration at 12°- 14° C for 6-8 days. The fermentation is allowed to start naturally, and then inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast after 4-5 days to ensure a complete fermentation. During which, the skin cap was punched by hand 2 times per day. After fermentation and pressing, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation (22% new, the rest 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fill.) for 12 months, on the lees for the full period. After tasting and blending trials, the wine is racked (displaced using Nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.
Technical Analysis
Currently there are 22 hectares planted to Pinot Noir on the estate, 27.6% of the total plantings. Only Burgundian clones are used for this cuvée.
Tasting note
This wine has a lovely luminosity. The colour is bright crimson and 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 on the finish.
Vintage conditions
Picking of the grapes took place in the early hours of the morning starting at 3am to ensure the grapes are cool. Harvesting started 9th February and continued until 16th March. Grapes came in at sugars of between 21-23° Brix. Fortunately Cluver experience very cool night temperatures in Elgin, which help the grapes retain freshness.
Vinification details
Burgundian clones 667, 113, 115 and 777 are used. Extensive individual berry sorting was done by hand prior to crushing. This was followed by cold maceration at 12-14°C for 6-8 days. The fermentation was allowed to start naturally and then after 3-4 days, some tanks were inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast to ensure a complete fermentation. Where strong, clean, wild ferments were present, fermentation was allowed to continue. During the fermentation, the skin cap was punched through by hand twice per day. After fermentation, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place (27% new wood, the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill). Maturation took place on the lees for 12 months. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was racked (displaced using Nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.
Technical Analysis
Currently there are 22 hectares planted to Pinot Noir on the estate, 27.6% of the total plantings. Only Burgundian clones are used for this cuvée.
Tasting note
This wine has a lovely luminosity – the colour is bright crimson. The nose has delicate earthy aromas combined with red and dark berry flavours which follow through to the palate where they combine with interesting savoury notes and just a touch of oak on the finish.
Vintage conditions
Harvesting of Pinot Noir started on 10th February and continued until 8th March, with an average yield of 6 tons per hectare. After a dry winter the summer leading to the 2017 harvest will be remembered as one of the driest in the Western Cape. Fortunately, very cool night temperatures in Elgin helped the grapes retain freshness.
Vinification details
Extensive individual berry sorting was done by hand prior to crushing. This was followed by cold maceration at 12°- 14°C for 6-8 days. The fermentation was allowed to start naturally, with some tanks then inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast after 3-4 days to ensure a complete fermentation. During fermentation, the skin cap was punched through by hand twice a day. The wine was then transferred to French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place (32% new wood, the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill.) Maturation in oak was for 11 months, on the lees for the full period. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was racked (displaced using nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.
AWARDS
Tim Atkin MW: 93 pts
DWWA: Silver
IWC: Silver
