Thelema Merlot 2019
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
Food Pairing
Mushroom risotto, rich pastas and grilled meats.
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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 9.7 t/ha |
| Irrigation | Supplementary drip |
| Vintage | Cool weather conditions constituted smaller more concentrated berries, leading to wines with great natural acidity and flavour. |
| Picking date | 15 February 2019 - 14 March 2019 |
| Grape sugar | 23 - 25°B |
| Acidity | 5.0 - 5.6 g/l |
| pH at harvest | 3.7 |
Winemaking Practices
| Yeasts | X-pure & Alchemy3 |
|---|---|
| Fermentation temp | 24°C - 27 °C |
| Method | The grapes were gently de-stemmed, retaining as many whole berries as possible, before passing over an additional vibrating table to remove all MOG (matter other than grapes), after which a displacement pump takes the fruit to its fermentation tank. The tanks are then inoculated with a specific commercial yeast strain, this way insuring the development of the perfect flavour profile. Fermentation is done in stainless steel fermenters, and a combination of aerative pump overs and punch down techniques are used to ensure optimal colour, tannin and flavour extraction. Once fermentation is complete the wine is drained off the skins and moved to a holding tank to be barreled down. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrels. |
| Wood maturation | 18 months in French oak barrels, 25% new, balance in older barrels. |
Wine Details
| Residual Sugar | 2.8 g/l |
|---|---|
| pH | 3.55 |
| Total acid | 5.4 g/l |
| Alcohol | 13.5% by volume |
The Current Range
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Looking for an older vintage? Please contact us for more information.