Cape Heights Merlot, Western Cape, South Africa, 2024

Grape: 100% Merlot, lightly oaked

Producer Tasting Note:

A bright and juicy Merlot with an attractively ripe, red berry nose. A rounded spicy palate with generous plum and hedgerow fruit flavours leading to a fresh, gently spicy finish.

Fruit is sourced from long standing vineyards on the Swartland/Wellington borders and also the Breede River Valley. Low rainfall, warm weather, decomposed granite soils and low trellised vines all ads really complexity to the final wine. Grapes are picked in mid-March, destemmed and placed in open top fermenters. Pigeage is carried out four times daily (whilst up to half of the grape sugar is fermented), then only twice daily to the end of fermentation - this is a soft delicate way of wetting the cap and aerating the wine. Malolactic fermentation follows before the wine is left on its lees to extract extra depth and soft tannins. A touch of elegance is achieved by using a modest amount (10%) of oak.

Food Match: Grilled lamb, pasta with a tomato-based sauce, chorizo and butterbean stew, spicy sausages and mash.