Stellenbosch Merlot

Pair with roast meat dishes.

The 2020 vintage will be remembered as a good vintage produced under the spectre of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the globe. Fortunately the harvest was not impacted on Rustenberg by the government-sanctioned lockdowns, allowing all fruit to be picked and processed when ripe. A good winter in 2019 saw a return to average rainfall for the year. Two unusual weather events in the growing season, a large rainstorm and a heat wave, impacted some varietals flowering and berry set, however, in the context of the entire vintage these had a minor impact. Crop levels were up by 15% from the 2019 vintage, which saw a return to yields being average to slightly above average for most varietals. Quality wise, the white wines have superb acids and more moderate alcohols with wonderful fruit concentration, while the reds tend to be more medium-bodied with moderate alcohols, good freshness and supple tannins, potentially to be enjoyed earlier.

Aged 11 months in 20% new and 80% 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th fill French 225L barrels.

Crushed and De-stemmed Fruit, Pumped Over During Ferment.

The Rustenberg Estate was founded in 1682 and is nestled in the valley of the Simonsberg Mountain in South Africa’s premium wine region Stellenbosch. Rustenberg’s rich heritage and ethos has been informed by many centuries of human influence striving to understand and work with nature to produce wines of distinct character true to their terroir variety and informed style.