Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Malbec
75cl * Vegetarian * 14% ABV * Stellenbosch, South Africa
Those that prefer their Bordeaux blends from riper vintages (such as 2005 and 2009) will find much to enjoy in this superblend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Plush blackcurrant sits underneath typical 'Left Bank' aromas of cigar box and green pepper. But unlike its French counterparts, it is soft and powerful without the need for a decade of cellaring.
Named after a former owner of Rustenberg, John Xavier Merriman, who bought the farm in 1892 in sympathy with farmers suffering from the phylloxera crisis. After primary fermentation the wine was transferred to oak barriques for 20 months’ maturation. In its youth the wine is worth decanting and expresses cassis, black currant and dark fruits complemented with cigar tobacco and sour cherry notes. As the wine ages and its fine grained tannins soften a softer more savoury palate develops revealing wonderful drinkability and tertiary complexity.
Drink to 2030.