Steenberg Merlot 2022

Our 2022 Merlot is a quintessential cool-climate expression of the cultivar: elegant with soft dark fruit and characteristic notes of plum, liquorice, and mulberry with a lively edge. The nose offers cedarwood and lavender, while the broody and deep palate reveals raspberry preserve, umami and spicy clove. The velvety texture is enhanced by a refreshing acidity, while well-integrated, fine tannins add structure and a dry finish luring you back to the glass. 

This medium to full-bodied wine will stand up to rich dishes with strong Mediterranean flavours, such as braised and roast meats, tomato-based stews, mature cheese, and briny olives. 

variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : JD Pretorius
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 14.73 % vol  rs : 1.8 g/l  pH : 3.56  ta : 5.9 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Full  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  

ageing : Bottle will age well for five to seven years after bottling.

in the vineyard : Soil type: Clovelly / Decomposed Granite
Trellising: Elongated Perold
Age of vines: 6-17 years
Pruning: Spur - 2 bud
Yield: 8 ton/ha
Rootstock: Richter 110

about the harvest: Intensive suckering and crop reduction helps concentrate the fruit and ensures that the Merlot has good colour and a distinctive character. The grapes were harvested at a sugar level of 24-25°B.

in the cellar : 15% of the juice was drawn off before crush / de-stemming to improve flavour and colour. The juice was fermented on the skins for 10 – 14 days, allowing the temperature in the tank to peak at 28°C. After malolactic conversion, the wine was transferred to a combination of 3rd fill and older 225l French oak barrels to mature for an average of 24 months. It then underwent a light fining before bottling in August 2024.

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Merlot
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