Zevenwacht Merlot 2017

Technical Analysis    

Winemaker – Hagen Viljoen

Main Variety – Merlot         

Alcohol – 14.5 %vol

pH – 3.49

RS – 2.9 g/l

Total Acid – 5.5 g/l

Appellation – Stellenbosch

Characteristics

Type – Red

Style – Dry

Body – Full

Taste – Fruity

Tasting Notes

Rich and generous with plush concentrated aromas of smoky plums, oyster shell and cherries. Layers of red fruit, strawberries and hints of liquorice that cover the palate from start to finish.

Ageing Potential

Will reward you handsomely with some maturation between 3 –6 years.

Blend Information

100% Merlot

Food Suggestions

Great with leaner meats like duck and venison or tomato-based dishes like spaghetti bolognaise.

In The Vineyard

Two very different vineyards in Stellenbosch supplied the fruit for this wine. The first site, 350m above sea level on the south-west facing slopes of the Polkadraai Hills area, provides bright and juicy fruit with good acidity, tannic weight and absolute fruit density on the palate. The second vineyard on the lower South Western slopes of Polkadraai Hills, offers Ribena Ripeness, generosity and length on the palate. Although soil types differ between the sites, they all have some form of decomposed granite lying over structured clay subsoil allowing for ample drainage and water retention when required.

About The Harvest

The grapes were picked at optimal tannin and fruit ripeness with a sugar of 25-25.5 Brix.

In The Cellar

Berries were sorted before being fermented in 10 ton fermenters with a temperature peak at 27°C. During the active part of fermentation, we gave the wine four pump overs. This action allows for a soft extraction of ripe skin tannin and colour. The wine aged in 2nd and 3rd fill 300L & 500L barrels for 14 months.