Thelema Merlot 2019

4.5 Stars - Platter's Wine Guide 2022 / 92 Points - Tim Atkin 2021

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.

All Vintages

R210.00

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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.