Thelema Merlot Reserve 2022 Magnum (1.5L) in Wooden Box

Gift Boxed
95 POINTS - TIM ATKIN SOUTH AFRICA SPECIAL REPORT 2025

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

A butterflied leg of lamb or a lamb steak with rosemary and potato dauphinoise on the side.

All Vintages

Thelema Merlot Reserve 2022 Magnum (1.5L) in Wooden Box

R1 355.00

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Tasting Notes

Viticultural Practices

Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon – clone 46C ,169A and 338C
Root stock	101-14, R110 & R99
Soil type	Hutton – decomposed granite
Age of vines	Planted 2002, 2003 & 2008
Plant density	2000 - 2300 vines per hectare
Trellising	Vertical hedge
Pruning	2-bud spurs every 15cm
Yield	10.7 tons per hectare
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	23 - 29 March 2021
Grape sugar	24 - 25°B
Acidity	5.1 - 5.3 g/l
pH at harvest	3.5 - 3.6

Winemaking Practices

Yeasts	Alchemy 4
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 barrelled down. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrels. The wines age gracefully in place for 18 months, with 40% new French oak barrels, and receive only one racking during this period. After tasting through all the individual lots our winemaking team decides on the final blend, the barrels are emptied into the tank farm and the wines are prepared for bottling.
Wood maturation	18 months in barrel. 40% new French oak, balance in older barrels.

Wine Details

Residual sugar	1.9 g/l
pH	3.45
Total acid	6.2 g/l
Alcohol	14 %