John X Merriman 2022

Rustenberg, fact sheet (rustenberg.co.za – linket fra rustenberg.co.za, hentet 2026-10-18): 2022 Rustenberg John X Merriman – område: Simonsberg-Stellenbosch; 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec; alkohol 14%; fadlagring 20 måneder. Producentens noter (engelsk): Introduction: This wine is named after a former owner of Rustenberg, John Xavier Merriman, who bought the farm in 1892 in sympathy with farmers suffering from the phylloxera crisis. He played a great role in revitalizing Rustenberg and in promoting the tourism and agricultural value of Ida’s Valley, the area close to the town of Stellenbosch in which Rustenberg is situated. The John X Merriman is Rustenberg's Estate wine, a blend of Bordeaux varietals that illustrate the ageability and true expression of Rustenberg's finest vineyards. We recommend decanting before serving. Vintage: The winter of 2021 was very cold and wet following a warm autumn. Bud burst was late and the cold, wet weather continued into Spring, requiring careful disease and canopy management. The cool, wet weather extended until the middle of December, delaying the growing season for the red varietals in Stellenbosch. From the middle of December onwards the weather warmed up considerably with three heatwaves experienced in January and one in February. Despite this warmer weather the red wine harvest required patience as the tannins took some time to fully ripen. March and April were moderate temperature-wise and we experienced the odd shower. Our decision to delay harvesting was rewarded with excellent concentration and ripeness in the red wines. The marathon vintage ended in late April and was the biggest and longest vintage in Rustenberg’s history.