Thelema Merlot 2016
The wine shows bright, red fruit and hints of spice on the nose, with concentrated flavours on the palate and soft, polished tannins. Hints of dark chocolate complete this 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
The wine shows bright, red fruit and hints of spice on the nose, with concentrated flavours on the palate and soft, polished tannins. Hints of dark chocolate complete this wonderfully balanced wine.
All Vintages
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 10.7 - 12.77 t/ha |
| Irrigation | Supplementary drip |
| Vintage | Very hot and dry vintage, resulting in an early start to the picking, with different varieties ripening at the same time. A tough vintage for the winery crews. |
| Picking date | 9th February 2016 |
| Grape sugar | 24.8 - 25.7 °B |
| Acidity | 4.3 - 5.7 g/l |
| pH at harvest | 3.47 - 3.60 |
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 pressed and racked to barrel for malo-lactic fermentation. |
| Wood maturation | 18 months in French oak barrels, 30% new, balance in older barrels. |
Wine Details
| Residual Sugar | 1.71 g/l |
|---|---|
| pH | 3.45 |
| Total acid | 5.74 g/l |
| Alcohol | 14.5% by volume |
| Maturation | 2019 – 2025 |
The Current Range
Looking for an older vintage? Please contact us for more information.