Neethlingshof Merlot 1998

Colour: Bright garnet - almost vermilion in its cardinal redness.
Bouquet: Herbaceous and minty, with sour-cherry, fig and plum aromas.
Taste: Elegant, round and fruity, with a mineral note and the typical dry Neethlingshof fingerprint. Very good length.
Vintner's advice: A very versatile wine that will partner most meats, including cold roast beef, garlicky roast lamb, spicy ribs, guinea fowl, shepherdâ€™s pie or stuffed turkey. Also try with pastas and pizzas and robust fish dishes, or enjoy on its own. Serve at 16 - 18 degrees Celsius.

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variety : Merlot [ Merlot ]

winery : Neethlingshof Wine Estate

winemaker :

wine of origin : Coastal

analysis : alc : 13.87 % vol rs : 3.0 g/l pH : 3.35 ta : 6.4 g/l va : 0.46 g/l so2 : 135 mg/l fso2 : 38 mg/l

pack : Bottle

ageing : Starting to drink beautifully. Enjoy now, or keep for 5 to 7 years.

in the vineyard : The estateâ€™s merlot vineyard blocks, situated at 220 metres above sea level and facing south-east, were planted between 1985 and 1987 in clay soil which has excellent water retention qualities. The vines are cultivated under dryland conditions. They are grafted onto nematode-resistant Richter 99 rootstocks and trellised on a five-wire vertical â€œfenceâ€ system. The yield was a very low 4 tonnes per hectare which enhanced the quality of the merlot fruit.

about the harvest: The grapes were harvested by hand and by machine after reaching a Balling of 24 - 25 degrees.

in the cellar : Fermentation took place in rotation tanks, using the WE 372 yeast strain and controlling the temperature to remain between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. After the completion of malolactic fermentation, the wine was matured for 24 months in small French oak. A light sterile filtering followed, and the wine was ready for bottling in December 2000.

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