Kanu Merlot Limited Release 2000

Ruby with a cerise rim. A highly complex nose of cherries and dark chocolate, with organic undertones. It is a big, rich, meaty wine, offering organic and earthy flavours, complemented by a firm tannin structure. Serve at 19°C. Ideal with ox-tail; pork rib on the fire; venison casserole; barbequed butter flied leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic; oven baked duck with a cherry sauce; and rare ostrich filet.


variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winery : Kanu Wines
winemaker : Teddy Hall
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 13.97 % vol  rs : 3.1 g/l  pH : 3.78  ta : 5.6 g/l  so2 : 105 mg/l  fso2 : 29 mg/l  
type : Red   wooded
pack : Bottle  

AWARDS
98 Vintage: **** John Platter; chosen as one of the top ten wines out of 200 entered in the Air France/Preteux Borgeois ‘Classic Wine Trophy 1999’ (red wine category.
99 Vintage: Double Gold medal at the Veritas 2001.
2000 Vintage: 88/100 in the USA Wine Spectator – April 2003 issue

ageing : Kanu Merlot will gain in intricacy for three to five years.

in the vineyard : Soil Type: Decomposed Malmesbury Shale
Age of vines: 9 years
Trellising: Bush vines
Vine Density: 3 333 vines/ha
Yield: 6.1 tonnes per hectare
Irrigation: Some

about the harvest: Picking date: 9th February 2000
Grape Sugar: 23.8° Balling at harvest
Acidity: 7.7 at harvest
pH at harvest: 3.3
Total production: 1 365 x 12 cases

in the cellar : Fermentation temperature: approximately 33°C

After being lightly crushed and then macerated for a day (to enhance the extraction of colour and fruit) the grapes were inoculated and then fermented on the skins in open stainless steel tanks at 33°C. During this time the juice was pumped over several times a day in order for the juice to remain in constant contact with the skins, ensuring full colour and extract. The wine was lightly pressed and placed in French oak barriques, where it underwent malolactic fermentation. It was racked three times, in the traditional French free flow method, before undergoing further 15 months barrel maturation, further preserving its fruit character and negating the need for heavy filtration before bottling.

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