Thelema Merlot Reserve 2021

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95 POINTS - TIM ATKIN SOUTH AFRICA SPECIAL REPORT 2023

This wine is a limited release of the finest Merlot of the vintage. On the nose, ripe cherries, succulent raspberries, and delicate blackcurrant notes intertwine elegantly with hints of cedar, sandalwood, and baking spices. The palate offers a symphony of red fruit flavours, led by strawberries and black cherries, balanced by refined acidity, velvety tannins, and subtle minerality. This Merlot exemplifies elegance and balance, offering a sophisticated yet approachable expression.

Food Pairing

Perfect for pairing with dishes like seared duck breast, mushroom risotto, or aged Gruyère.

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R490.00

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Tasting Notes

Viticultural Practices

Varietal	Merlot – Clone 192 / MO 343
Root stock	R99
Soil type	Hutton – decomposed granite
Age of vines	Planted in 1988 & 2000
Plant density	3200 vines per hectare
Trellising	Vertical hedge
Pruning	2-bud spurs every 12cm
Yield	8.3 t/ha
Irrigation	Supplementary drip
Vintage	A warm, dry vintage with a late start, resulted in smaller tonnage but yielding balanced, well-structured wines with lovely intensity.
Picking date	3 - 8 March 2021
Grape sugar	24.2 °B
Acidity	5.35 g/l
pH at harvest	3.42

Winemaking Practices

Yeasts	Alchemy 4
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 51% new French oak barrels

Wine Details

Residual Sugar	1.7 g/l
pH	3.54
Total acid	5.6 g/l
Alcohol	14.0% by volume

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The Current Range

Thelema Cap Classique 2017

92 POINTS - TIM ATKIN SOUTH AFRICA SPECIAL REPORT 2023