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Quoin Rock Merlot 2010

Notes of cranberry and dark chocolate combined with hints of mint and savoury nuances on the nose. The palate has an interesting salty/savoury element. The well balanced body of this wine shows gripping and lingering tannins with a full mouth feel.

Ideally served slightly chilled at around 18-22?C. The wine complements lamb or beef or rich pasta dishes. This is an excellent food wine and a great companion in front a fire in winter.
variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winery : Quoin Rock
winemaker : Carl van der Merwe
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 13.71 % vol  rs : 1.8 g/l  pH : 3.52  ta : 5.5 g/l  va : 0.56 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Full   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

ageing : Quoin Rock Merlot 2010 is drinking excellent now or can mature and develop for 6-7years from vintage.
in the vineyard : Quoin Rock Merlot 2010 is a made of 100% Merlot grapes from vineyards situated on the slopes of Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. The Simonsberg region is known for its rich granite soils and moderate climate which leads to the creation of elegant wines, with great depth and intensity. Heat, wind and dry conditions during grape ripening combine to produce grape berries with thick skins and wines with high extract and excellent aging ability.

2010 Vintage
Extreme wind conditions during the spring of 2009 resulted in very bad flowering conditions and physical damaged to vine shoots. Consequently the crop for 2010 harvest was reduced by 40% on average. The ripening seasons in Stellenbosch was warm and dry with full ripeness being reached in the 3-4th week of February.

Trellised vineyards ensured sufficient sunlight and air circulation in the vine’s canopy and thus produced grapes with excellent flavour and intensity. Fungicides, pesticides and herbicides were kept to a minimum and weeds were controlled manually. Our own farm-made compost was used as fertiliser.

about the harvest: Grapes were harvested manually into small lug boxes.

in the cellar : Minimal interference and additions, along with wild fermentations ensured that the wine expressed the unique characteristics of our terroir. At the winery the grapes were chilled overnight. Bunches were de-stemmed and the berries were moved into stainless steel tanks. The wild/natural alcoholic fermentation of whole berries commenced after 3-4 days and lasted for 1-2 weeks. Pump-overs were done twice per day to ensure optimum colour, flavour and tannin extraction. The wine was left to macerate in the skins for 2 weeks after the completion of fermentation and before pressing. The wine was taken to barrel for malo-lactic fermentation and maturation of which 12% were new barrels and the balance 2nd and 3rd fill and older. The wine was matured in barrel for 12 months.
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OTHER VINTAGES

Quoin Rock Merlot 2010
Merlot
Quoin Rock Merlot 2003
Merlot