variety : Merlot [ 50% Merlot, 50% Pinotage ]
winemaker : Tinnie Momberg
wine of origin : Devon Valley
analysis : alc : 13.01 % vol rs : 3.6 g/l pH : 3.8 ta : 4.9 g/l
type : Red style : Dry body : Medium taste : Fruity wooded
pack : Bottle
in the vineyard : It was in 1679 when Simon van der Stel, then governor of the Cape, first discovered the fertile valley of Stellenbosch, which he later named after himself. His first view of one of the hills surrounding the valley was in stormy weather and he appropriately named it Hagelsberg - in Dutch 'hagel' means hail. The name soon changed to Papegaaiberg, as it is still known today. The beautiful vineyards of Middelvlei stretch along the northern slopes of the same Papegaaiberg.
This wine is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Pinotage. The Merlot vines on Middelvlei were planted in 1986 and 1988 and cover 9,88 ha. They were grafted on rootstock Richter 99 and are situated at an altitude of 160 m above sea-level, facing southwest.
The Pinotage grape is unique to South Africa and is derived from the noble Pinot Noir and Cinsault (formerly called Hermitage) varieties. The Pinotage grapes used in this blend, were sourced from prime vineyards in the Stellenbosch area.
The Merlot vines on Middelvlei were planted in 1986 and 1988 and cover 9,88 ha. They were grafted on rootstock Richter 99 and are situated at an altitude of 160 m above sea-level, facing southwest.
The conditions for the healthy growth and ripening of the grapes during the growing season (September – December) were very good. The rainfall during the winter, as well as the growing season was average. The annual rainfall was 727 mm for the 2002/2003 season compared to the long-term annual average of 700 mm.