2018 Graham Beck Cuvée Clive

The most prestigious and exclusive Cap Classique, the Cuvée Clive is the pinnacle of its Méthode Champenoise style wines. This prestigious cuvee embodies Graham Beck's pursuit of the perfect bubble and is the result of meticulous planning and unbridled passion. It is therefore a great reward that the Cuvée Clive has been voted the Sparkling Wine of the Year in the annual Tim Atkin South African Report (see Appendix tab with Tim Atkins' report)

The Cuvée Clive is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. These vineyards are located opposite Graham Beck's wine cellars in Robertson. The grapes are picked by hand in the second week of January. They are received early in the morning and the entire bunch is pressed, using only the cuvée fraction (the first 400L per tonne) for this wine. The juice settles for 24 hours and is then aged directly in neutral champenoise barrels for initial fermentation and maturation for a period of 3 months, after which the two blocks are blended and bottled. After a whopping 60 months of aging in the bottle, the 2014 Cuvée Clive emerged as a showcase of power and elegance that flowed seamlessly together. Around 6,000 bottles were made of this winner.

The Cuvée Clive is a complex, balanced, powerful and yet elegant cap classique that stimulates the senses from start to finish. Ripe citrus aromas are supported by nuances of apricot, apple and roasted almond. The palate starts with aromas of fresh and zesty citrus, developing into richer, fleshy yellow stone fruit and nutty notes. The penetrating acidity, complex texture and deliciously small bubbles provide a taste experience that leaves you begging for more.

AWARDS

• Platter 2018: 4 1/2 Stars
• International Wine Challenge 2017 (IWC): Commanded winner
• Tim Atkin Master of Wine 2017: 97 Points
• Six Nations Challenge 2017: Gold
• South African National Wine Challenge 2016: Top 100 status/Double Platinum awards