Glass Collection Merlot

This Merlot pairs well with grilled or roasted beef, lamb casseroles with mushrooms and garlic, and dishes featuring bacon and cheese .

The grapes for this wine were sourced from Glenelly Estate, located on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. The 2020 vintage benefited from an exceptionally warm and dry spring, leading to good and even bud burst. Moderate temperatures during flowering and berry set, along with rainfall in late October, contributed to stress-free flowering and berry development. The growing season's moderate conditions and seasonal rainfall at the start of the harvest laid the foundation for a good vintage .

The wine matured for 12 months in French oak barrels, with racking approximately every four months. This regimen imparts subtle oak characteristics while preserving the wine's fruit-forward profile .

Grapes were hand-sorted and lightly crushed into stainless steel fermentation tanks. A cold soak was conducted for three days before allowing natural fermentation to commence. During fermentation, three pump-overs per day were performed. Post-fermentation, the wine underwent extended skin contact for 2–3 weeks. Malolactic fermentation occurred in French oak barrels, with the wine racked on average every four months .

Winemaker Dirk and assistant Lehandri endeavour to make Glenelly wines as naturally as possible with wild yeast fermentation and little to no acidification. The team follows a minimal intervention approach to winemaking yet intensive sorting and care is taken when receiving the grapes. We use France’s most recognised coopers (mostly from Taransaud, Boutes and Sylvain) to ensure a gentle and precise elevage, preserving the identity of the terroir of Glenelly. Hygiene is of utmost importance in the cellar and a combination of both hot water and ozonated water is used for cleaning.