Marianne Merlot 2006

A stunning ruby red in color, this wine has a fruity intense nose reflecting ripe plum and floral notes. A very graceful Merlot with soft fruity flavors including red berries and cherries backed with a hint of spice.

This wine complements lighter dishes or meats marinated in herbs and spices. Particularly suited for delicately flavoured white meat, such as a roast chicken with rosemary or pork loin.

variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]

winery : Marianne Wine Estate

winemaker : Christian Dauriac

wine of origin : Simonsberg-Paarl

analysis : alc : 16.00 % vol rs : 3.2 g/l pH : 3.65 ta : 5.4 g/l

type : Red body : Full wooded

pack : Bottle closure : Cork

AWARDS

Gold Medal Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2008

ageing : Overall a well rounded wine that is perfect to drink now yet could mature well within the bottle for a further 3 years.

in the vineyard : Our Property.
Marianne Estate is a 36-hectare boutique wine estate located on the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain. We have been producing small batches of premium wines made in our state-of-the-art cellar since 2004. All our grapes are handpicked and treated to a luxurious retirement for a couple of years in new French oak.

A Tradition of Winemaking.
Christian Dauriac, the owner of Marianne Estate, has been making wine in Bordeaux for over 30 years. He currently owns three Chateaux in Bordeaux: Destieux (Grand Cru Classe of Saint-Emilion), Montlisse (Grand Cru) and La Clemence (Pomerol). Christian regularly brings in specialists from France to give us a hand with the winemaking, including world-renowned winemaker Michel Rolland.

Terroir (Viticulturist: Andre van den Berg).
Climate, soil, altitude and slope orientation are essential elements required in capturing as much varietal character as possible. The climate is mild to warm with southern winds, ensuring grapes are cooled to optimum temperature for maximum character and flavour. Soils are predominantly medium textured and an average annual rainfall of 800 mm ensures minimal irrigation.

about the harvest: The grapes were handpicked at phenolic ripeness and stored at 10 °C to ensure the finest flavor and freshness.

in the cellar : Upon crushing, a temperature of 10° C was maintained and both skins and juice were left in contact in French oak tanks for 10 days. Varying from stainless steel, this approach provides improved color and flavor stability. Upon fermentation, flavour and color is allowed to develop for a period of 4 weeks before the wine is transferred to 40% new French oak barrels for 16 - 22 months. The use of new French oak allows the wine to retain certain flavors and extract tannin from the oak, resulting in a fuller mid pallet. By using only 40% new oak, the fruits within the wine are respected ensuring the wine is complex yet settled with great ageing potential.

Head Winemaker: Christian Dauriac
Assisted by Abraham de Klerk & Pierre Cazenave

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