• STORY: In search of cool locations in South Africa, one heads southeast from Cape Town through the Hottentos-Holland Mountains and then arrives at Elgin. Driving up the key-shaped highlands, the climate and vegetation change: it's cool. Actually, Elgin is known for apples and peaches.

• AGING: Handpicked grapes. 5-8 days of cold maceration. spontaneously fermented. The pomace cap is pumped over twice a day. Aging for 12-13 months in oak barrels together with the lees.

• AROMA: Strawberries, black cherries and mushrooms can be found on the nose.

• EVALUATION: Harmonious and balanced on the palate, very elegant with a concise, typical Pinot Noir finish

• SERVING RECOMMENDATION: Game dishes, duck, coq au vin, chicken with tarragon

The story of Cluver & Jack began on a social evening when friends Paul Cluver and Bruce Jack sat together over several glasses of cider and wondered if they couldn't just make it better themselves. And so, shortly thereafter, their joint project to produce a "handcrafted cider" was launched. People like Paul Cluver are rare. He is one of the architects of modern, democratic South Africa, the initiator of the BEE (Economic Empowerment of Blacks) in the wine sector and, above all, one of the most important innovators in Cape winegrowing in recent years - and as a career changer. When the trained neurosurgeon bottled his first wine in Elgin, 70 km southeast of Cape Town, in 1997, he was smiled at for the plan to grow wine here in the immediate vicinity of the cool Atlantic Ocean. But apparently he was the only one who recognized the potential of Elgin, later declared a wine cultural heritage by UNESCO, as a wine region. He deliberately planted grape varieties on the De Rust farm that were appropriate to the climate. So it wasn't long before the critical voices fell silent and the finesse and elegant Cluver wines were on everyone's lips.