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Paul Cluver Winery Guide

Cellar Tours Insight — Since 2003, Cellar Tours has planned private wine journeys through the world’s leading wine regions, pairing tailor-made itineraries with VIP winery visits, fine dining, and expert regional guidance.

Winery Overview

The crowning glory of the Elgin Plateau is undoubtedly The De Rust Estate, a legendary property within the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. Indeed, visitors are greeted by the Western Cape’s most stunning scenery when entering the farm: the Kogelberg Nature Reserve is a marine and floral kingdom boasting an incredible 1600 different plant species. The potency of this terroir is immediately evident when tasting Paul Cluver’s range of wines – finesse, elegance, and a sense of place are hallmarks of every wine made at this formidable winery.

In 1896, the farm was bought by Dr. Clüver’s great-grandfather, who needed land to provide summer grazing for his livestock. Over the following decades, extensive fruit orchards were established on the farm; although the family expressed no interest in planting vines in this era,

However, by the mid-1980s, the Cluver family started showing interest in producing premium wines in the cool, high-altitude Elgin Mountain Plateau. During this period, local experts formally identified the region as a cool-climate wine-growing appellation, encouraging Paul Cluver and his wife Songvei to grow Burgundian varieties – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – on the farm. In 1986, The De Rust Estate was planted with its inaugural vineyards, which today have expanded to over 75 hectares and include Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.

But for connoisseurs, it’s Paul Cluver’s range of Burgundian-style wines that excite – structured, flavor-packed, yet full of terroir character- will not leave one cold. They are among the best New World interpretations of these two noble varieties; the Seven Flags Pinot Noir, in particular, stands out as South Africa’s best. That fact, coupled with the estate’s awe-inspiring beauty, extensive tourist amenities – including an amphitheater designed for musical concerts – and the warm welcome you’ll receive from the Cluver family, make this glorious property an unmissable stop on any journey through the Western Cape.

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Further Reading

Author

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James Lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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