Thelema Merlot Reserve 2020

This wine is a limited release of the finest Merlot of the vintage. It is rich and complex and showing extraordinary concentrations of ripe berries and cedar wood.

Maturation

Will continue to develop well for 10 years.

Food Pairing

Mushroom risotto, rich pastas and grilled meats.

Winemaker's Comments

This wine is a blend of the best parcels within our merlot vineyards. A wine well structured and showing extraordinary concentrations of ripe berries and cedar wood. Will reward cellaring.

All Vintages

R440.00

Available September 2022

Tasting Notes

Viticultural Practices

Varietal	Merlot – Clone 192
Root stock	R99
Soil type	Hutton – decomposed granite
Age of vines	Planted 1988
Plant density	3200 vines per hectare
Trellising	Vertical hedge
Pruning	2-bud spurs every 12cm
Yield	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 March
Grape sugar	23.6 °B - 25 °B
Acidity	4.9 - 5.3 g/l
pH at harvest	3.73

Winemaking Practices

Yeasts	Alchemy 4 / X-Pure
Fermentation temp	24 - 26 °C
Method	The grapes are de-stalked, hand sorted, the whole berries are pumped into stainless steel fermentation.Tanks, inoculated with a cultured yeast and pumped over once a day until the desired level of colour and tannin extraction has been achieved. After fermentation the wine is pressed and racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation.
Wood maturation	18 months in 100% new French oak barrels

Wine Details

Residual Sugar	2.4 g/l
pH	3.68
Total acid	5.3 g/l
Alcohol	13.5% by volume
Maturation	2021 – 2031

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The Current Range

Thelema Cap Classique 2016

4.5 Stars - PLATTER'S WINE GUIDE 2022