in the vineyard : Background
A Distell showpiece, this 1 000 hectare estate in Simondium, Paarl, has earned international acclaim for its white and red wines. Winemaker Niel Bester attributes the benefits of not only working with great fruit coming from a very unique terrain, but also getting the valuable input from Dr Paul Pontallier, MD at Chateau Margeaux. Producing classically styled accessible wines summarise the efforts for all involved with this historical farm dating back to 1687.
The vineyards (viticulturist: Hannes van Rensburg)
The diversity of the soils, slopes and elevations all add to the quality of Plaisir de Merle fruit. Well-drained weathered granite soils with good water retention allow minimal interference in irrigation with most vineyards dry land. The ten year old Shiraz vineyard is situated between 250m and 300m above sea level on the south-eastern slopes of the Simonsberg.
about the harvest: The grapes were harvested by hand from a single vineyard at the end of February and in the first week in March at 25,4° Balling, and fermented in stainless steel tanks at 25°C for six days.
The winemaking (winemaker: Niel Bester)
in the cellar : The juice was pumped over the skins daily for to extract colour until fermentation was completed. Upon completion of fermentation the wine was left on the skins for a further five days to macerate. The wine was racked and transferred to barrels for further maturation. The wine was matured in a combination of new and second-fill American and French oak for 12 to 16 months.