Seven Flags Chardonnay

Fish, poultry, pork and game bird dishes work well with this wine. It works particularly well with creamy pastas and salmon dishes. The good acidity and balance between wood and fruit keeps the wine from being overly rich and consequently great without food too. Mussel soup is a perfect match.

With the Western Cape being in a 3year drought, the summer leading to the 2017 harvest will be remembers as one of the driest. We started harvesting Chardonnay the 23rd of February and finished the 10th of March. Fortunately, we do experience very cool night temperatures in Elgin, this helped the grapes retain freshness. The grapes for the Seven Flags Chardonnay was harvested on the 6th and 7th of March from our oldest Chardonnay Vineyards planted in 1987.

Only 10% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, all without inoculation, further ensuring freshness and acidity. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was assembled from the best barrels, stabilized and prepared for bottling.

After whole bunch pressing and settling without any settling agents, the wine was 100% wild fermented in a selection of French oak barrels. (28% new, the rest 2nd and 3rd fill.) Lees stirring was done to a much lesser degree than previous years to retain freshness. The wine remained on the lees for a total of nine months without any Sulphur addition.

Paul Cluver Wines is a family owned and family run winery focused on producing world class wines that reflect the uniqueness of the cool-climate Elgin terroir. The family is proud to have pioneered the Elgin appellation and for being a leader in sustainable farming.