2008 Merlot Stellenbosch, Thelema
(6x75cl)
| Product Code: | 27286108 |
| Description: | 2008 Merlot Stellenbosch, Thelema |
| Case Size: | 6x75cl |
| Producer: | Thelema Mountain Vineyards |
| Region: | Stellenbosch |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Alc. By Vol.: | 15.1 |
Grape Varieties
| 100% | Merlot |
Awards and Press:
Wine Advocate wine reviews - Neal Martin
August 2011 - 86 points
Raised for 18 months in French oak of which 40% is new, the 2008 Merlot has a straightforward bouquet with touches of cooked meat and spice inflecting the red-berry fruit. The palate is fleshy on the entry but shows a little abruptness and hardness towards the finish. Drink now-2015
Ageing Potential:
Drink on release, expected to peak during 2007.
Food Matching Note:
This lighter and more elegant style of Merlot is ideal with more delicate game dishes or with lamb.
Tasting Note:
Deep, brooding purple in colour with some brick red highlights. The nose has pretty red-fruit characters with some hints of spices such as cinnamon and liquorice. The palate is juicy, broad and ripe, packed with red and black berry fruits, a firm, well integrated oaky structure and a bold, well defined finish which makes it a great food wine.
Vinification Note:
Sourced from established vines which were planted in 1988 in Hutton soils (decomposed granite) at a density of 3200 vines per ha. Vineyard practices include vertical hedge trellising, spur pruning to 2 buds every 12cms and supplementary drip irrigation. Harvesting was by hand from 19th February to 11th March and yielded 7t/ha. The whole bunches were de-stalked, hand sorted and crushed into stainless steel tanks where fermentation took place at 28 degrees C with pump overs for 6 days and a further 5 days maceration followed by 100% malo-lactic fermentation and pressing into 30% new French barriques where ageing was for 20 months before bottling.
Detailed Vinification Note:
Merlot clones:~192~
Root stocks:~R99
Grape sugar:~25.0 degrees Balling
Grape acidity:~5.8 g/l
Grape pH:~3,4
Yeasts:~~Bordeaux red
Residual Sugar:~1,5 g/l
Wine pH:~~3,51
Wine acidity:~5,7 g/l
Alcohol:~~14,02%