Stellenbosch Merlot 2023

Rustenberg, fact sheet (rustenberg.co.za – linket fra rustenberg.co.za, hentet 2026-10-18): 2023 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Merlot – område: Stellenbosch; 100% Merlot; alkohol 13.9%. Producentens noter (engelsk): Introduction: Merlot has been a mainstay red grape variety on Rustenberg since the late 1970's where its lead role has been to complement Cabernet Sauvignon in blends. Rustenberg's Merlots tend to be bigger and bolder in body and are structured to have excellent aging potential, pairing well with red meat-based dishes and rewarding decanting before being served. Vintage: The 2023 vintage marked another vintage influenced by the La Niña weather phenomenon. The Autumn of 2022 was dry with below average and variable rainfall throughout the Winter. Spring too was dry, but cool, however, a massive cold front in December brought much needed rain, but increased disease pressure. This lead up to harvest set the scene for a challenging vintage and lower crop sizes. The early heatwaves experienced in January, as opposed to usually occurring in February, brought the red cultivars into line with their recent average picking dates. Early ripening red cultivars such as Merlot and Malbec were largely in the winery by the time torrential rains arrived in late February. These rains continued through March, causing the wettest March since 1987 on the estate. The result of these rains was the loss of a large amount of the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit to disease. A mixed result for the vintage with good early reds and much lighter styles of wine produced from later ripening cultivars. Rigorous blending and barrel selection of only the best parcels of wine ensured that top quality wines were bottled under the Rustenberg label despite this challenging vintage.