Banghoek Reserve Merlot

The wine's rich earthiness and bountiful fruit make it an excellent companion to dishes like lamb navarin. Its warm spice and dark plum notes harmonize beautifully with the savoury elements of such meals.

Mild and dry conditions early in the season had a crucial impact on grape quantity and quality. Drier conditions limited berry mass and subsequent yields but also ensured outstanding quality. The cool ripening period aided early cultivars, and high-quality wines were prepared during this time. The Banghoek Valley is home to Delaire Graff Estate. Derived from ‘De Bange Hoek’ meaning ‘Scary Corner’, its moniker pays tribute to the spirit of those who braved the heights of the mountainous pass to face what lay beyond: a Valley inhabited by resident elephants, buffalo, lions and leopards. The audacious spirit of these early pioneers gave heed to a region rich in viniculture. Each grape was hand-selected from Delaire Graff Estate’s oldest single vineyard - planted in 1999, which benefits from an extraordinary combination of aspect, altitude and soil type.

The wine was left on the skin post-fermentation for between four and six weeks at 16°C and then matured in 70% new French oak barrels for 16 months.

Vinified with care and passion, extensive grape sorting formed an integral part of the quality management process, overseen by Estate Winemaker Morné Vrey. Each grape was destemmed and partially crushed, followed by a combination of punch-downs and pump-overs at cooler temperatures of between 24°C and 26°C.

Delaire Graff is a Stellenbosch wine estate on the Helshoogte Pass, where mountain slopes and cooling maritime influence shape the vineyards. Known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, red blends, rosé and MCC, the estate produces polished South African wines with fruit intensity, freshness and structure.