Marianne Merlot 2014

A refined expression of this tricky varietal. Blue fruit, oyster shell and herbs on the nose, with an expressive and full palate of ripe red and blue fruit, spice and a long, savoury finish.

We recommend our Merlot alongside a medium rare steak, or marinated lamb and wild herbs.

variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]

winery : Marianne Wine Estate

winemaker : Ramon Sanchez

wine of origin : Simonsberg-Paarl

analysis : alc : 12.91 % vol rs : 1.9 g/l pH : 3.91 ta : 5.4 g/l

type : Red body : Full wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

Our Property
Est. 2004, the Marianne Estate is a 36-hectare boutique wine estate located on the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain. The estate features 17 hectares of vineyards, Tasting Room & Cellars, Luxury Accommodation and the Floreal Brasserie.

A Tradition of Winemaking.
Christian Dauriac, the proprietor of the Marianne Estate, has been making wine in Bordeaux for over 30 years. He currently owns three Chateaux in Bordeaux: Destieux (Grand Cru Classe of SaintEmilion), Montlisse (Grand Cru) and La Clemence (Pomerol). Christian regularly brings in specialists from France to lend expertise with the winemaking and viticulture.

Terroir
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.

in the vineyard : Vintage:
A good year for yield and quality. A cool start to season, with little rain in November and unrelenting heat from January. Concentrated black grapes, resulting in high ripeness, offset with higher residual sugars, lower acids and softer tannins.

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

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

email the winery

email this page

find our wines in :