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Anthonij Rupert Protea Merlot 2023

Tendrils of smoke drift over blueberry and plum fruit with an understated touch of cocoa on the nose. There’s an affability and approachable ease to the palate. Lively and fresh with the same plum and berry fruit the nose promised. Juicy and vibrant, a light trace of dark cocoa powder lends richness and nuance. The body is gently yielding but boasts a nice firm frame and oodles of textural appeal.

variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]
winemaker : Dawie Botha
wine of origin : Western Cape
analysis : alc : 13.5 % vol  rs : 2.6 g/l  pH : 3.62  ta : 5.5 g/l  va : 0.56 g/l  so2 : 96 mg/l  fso2 : 31 mg/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Medium  taste : Fruity   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  


The 2023 harvest was preceded by a warm, dry winter, which led to a fairly even budbreak that occurred slightly earlier than the year before. Warm conditions persisted through much of the growing season, resulting in lighter crops across many regions, though the vines carried the fruit well. Heavy rainfall in early December brought much-needed relief, revitalising the vineyards and setting them up in good condition ahead of harvest. For the most part, the season delivered ideal conditions, with fruit showing exceptional balance and concentration. While unusually heavy and persistent rains in March presented challenges for later-ripening varieties and regions, overall the vintage stands out for its high quality and promises to yield wines of outstanding character.
in the vineyard : Thanks to cooler to moderate weather conditions throughout the season and especially during harvest, some very good wines can be expected from the 2021 vintage. Water resources were replenished and good vine growth, bunch numbers and berry sizes were seen. With the slower ripening, the grapes developed exceptional flavour and colour. The cooler weather gave winemakers and producers the opportunity to harvest the grapes at optimum ripeness with pH, acidity and sugar levels well balanced.
about the harvest: The grapes used to produce this fruit forward, elegant style of wine was selected from different growing regions to ensure complexity.
in the cellar : Grapes were selected and harvested from various growing regions in the Western Cape and then transferred to the cellar. The grapes were destemmed and fermented as whole berries in stainless steel tanks. After completing fermentation in the tanks, the wine was removed from the skins and pressed once it reached the dry fermentation stage. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked off the lees and matured for 12 months in a variety of old French oak barrels before being blended and bottled.
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