Paul Clüver Family Wines, the trailblazing winery that pioneered viticulture and winemaking in Elgin three and a half decades ago, has once again demonstrated its standing as a premier South African producer. In the latest Tim Atkin South Africa Report, the winery secured First Growth status and garnered impressive scores of 95 points and above for three of its wines.
Leading the pack were Paul Clüver’s Seven Flags Chardonnay 2021 and the Noble Late Harvest Riesling 2021, both receiving an impressive 96 points. Additionally, the acclaimed Seven Flags Pinot Noir 2018 secured a commendable 95 points.
In the course of this year’s assessment, Atkin meticulously judged over 2,200 wines, subjecting them to scrutiny and awarding scores on a 100-point scale.
For Paul Clüver, Managing Director of Paul Clüver Family Wines, these results reinforce the winery’s steadfast commitment to consistency in viticulture and winemaking. He expressed pride in the winery’s consistent above-average performances in Tim Atkin’s comprehensive evaluation of South African wines, spanning a remarkable decade.
Clüver stated, “Securing top scores of 95 points and above is a cause for celebration and a validation of the quality we deliver to the market. It reaffirms our decisions regarding varietal emphasis and our ability to consistently produce high-quality wines that authentically express our terroir and vineyard.”
He further emphasized the value of sustained excellence and improvement across successive reports, an acknowledgment of the winery’s dedication to upholding the highest standards. Clüver noted that such recognition is particularly significant when received from an esteemed critic like Tim Atkin, a distinguished British Master of Wine renowned globally for his rigorous wine evaluation standards.
Clüver underscored the significance of the Atkin Report’s recognition of the quality of South African Pinot Noir, highlighting that 18 Cape Pinot Noir producers achieved ratings of 95 points and above. Considering that just 1,100 hectares of South Africa’s total vineyard area of 93,000 hectares are dedicated to Pinot Noir, Clüver commended the achievements of these winemakers, emphasizing the emergence of South Africa as a notable international Pinot Noir producer.
Despite this year’s remarkable performance, Clüver lamented that Cape Pinot Noir still struggles to attain the international recognition it deserves among the world’s finest wines. He highlighted the need for the global wine community to acknowledge South Africa’s prowess in producing exceptional Pinot Noir, placing it on par with renowned wine regions.
As Clüver observed, “The global discourse frequently debates the world’s premier Pinot Noir producers beyond Burgundy, mentioning Central Otago (New Zealand), Oregon (USA), Alto Adige (Italy), Chile, and Germany. Remarkably, South Africa is conspicuously absent from this dialogue.” Clüver, along with the winery’s expert winemaker Andries Burger, has meticulously evaluated international and South African Pinot Noirs, concluding that South Africa deserves a place among the world’s best.
He articulated the pivotal role of the Atkin Report in advancing this cause, with its recognition of South African Pinot Noir’s excellence elevating the reputation of Paul Clüver Family Wines and the Cape as a distinguished producer of this noble grape variety.
Clüver asserted that the recognition of quality Pinot Noir can significantly contribute to enhancing the overall image of South Africa’s wine industry. As one of the world’s most esteemed and sought-after wines, Pinot Noir’s acknowledgment from the Cape can elevate the nation’s status, capturing the international wine world’s imagination and shattering stereotypes about the country’s wine offerings.
In conclusion, Clüver highlighted the importance of communicating these achievements to the global community to secure the premium wine status that South Africa rightfully deserves. Alongside the notable 95-point and above ratings, seven other Paul Clüver wines secured ratings of 91 points and higher in the Tim Atkin Report. These include Estate Chardonnay 2021 (93 points), Estate Pinot Noir 2021 (93 points), Estate Riesling 2021 (93 points), Estate Rie
