Reserve Merlot 2021

Serve with tomato based dishes like pizza, stews or soup.

ORIGIN

Sourced from north- and north-westerly vineyards where the slope has flattened somewhat, leading to a higher clay content in the soil. This gives the Merlot greater buffering capacity against stressful conditions.

VINIFICATION

The grapes were hand-picked and sorted, transferred to stainless steel tanks, and cold-soaked for 2 days for soft extraction. They were inoculated with 3 yeast strains. A combination of pump-overs was used for extraction (closed and open). Depending on the extraction site, pump-overs were stopped at various times during the ferment. The wine was left in contact with the skins post-ferment for delicate tannin manipulation. Malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, after which the wines went to barrel – a combination of 225l and 300l barrels for 12 months of ageing before blending and bottling.

ANALYSIS

Alc: 14.5%
PH: 3.42
TA: 5.9 g/l
RS: 3.3 g/l

MATURATION

This wine can age for 7-8 years from vintage.

Vergelegen Reserve Merlot 2021

Vergelegen Merlot 2016

• Winemag/Prescient Report – 91 (Top 10)
• Platter – ’90 – 4½ stars

Vergelegen Merlot 2015 

• Atkin – 92
• Platter – ’93 – 4½ stars

Vergelegen Merlot 2014 

• Atkin – 92
• Platter – ’92 – 4½ stars

Vergelegen Merlot 2013

• Atkin – 92
• Martin – 86
• Platter – ’92 – 4½ stars

Vergelegen Merlot 2012

• Tanzer – 89
• Atkin – 92

Vergelegen Merlot 2011

• Tanzer – 91