Thelema Merlot 2008
Ripe berry and plum fruit, with hints of tomato bush and herbs. Soft, integrated tannins make this a wonderfully balanced wine.
Maturation
WIll develop well for 6 years from vintage date.
Food Pairing
Mushroom risotto, rich pastas and grilled meats.
Winemaker's Comments
Ripe berry and plum fruit, with hints of tomato bush and herbs. Soft, integrated tannins make this a wonderfully balanced wine.
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Tasting Notes
Viticultural Practices
| Varietal | Merlot – clone 192 and 348A |
|---|---|
| Root stock | R99/110 |
| Soil type | Hutton – decomposed granite |
| Age of vines | Planted 1988 and 2000 |
| Plant density | 2460 – 3200 vines per hectare |
| Trellising | Vertical hedge |
| Pruning | 2-bud spurs every 12cm |
| Yield | Approximately 10.9 t/ha |
| Irrigation | Supplementary drip |
| Vintage | Moderate to warm vintage. |
| Picking date | 4th – 10th March |
| Grape sugar | 25.0 °B |
| Acidity | 4.5 g/l |
| pH at harvest | 3.6 |
Winemaking Practices
| Yeasts | Natural occurring yeasts |
|---|---|
| Fermentation temp | 27 °C |
| Method | De-stalked, hand sorted, crushed, pumped into stainless steel fermenters, cold soak for 2 days, pumped over twice a day for 5 days, generally with an aerated pump over in the morning and a closed circulation in the afternoon. After fermentation the wine is left on the skins for two days before pressing and then racked to barrel for malo-lactic fermentation. |
| Wood maturation | 18 months in French oak barrels, 40% new, balance in older barrels. |
Wine Details
| Residual Sugar | 1.7 g/l |
|---|---|
| pH | 3.75 |
| Total acid | 5.2 g/l |
| Alcohol | 15.05% by volume |
| Maturation | Enjoy now but will award cellaring for another 2 years. |
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