Merlot Reserve

Mushroom risotto, rich pastas and grilled meats.

Characterised by typical dry conditions and moderate temperatures, favourable conditions continued throughout the season. Yet despite smaller berries and lighter crop stemming from the windy conditions grapes showed good acidity and balanced sugar delivering well concentrated and structured wines.

The wines age gracefully in place for 18 months in 100% new 225L French oak barrels.

The grapes were gently de-stemmed, retaining as many whole berries as possible, after which a displacement pump takes the fruit to its fermentation tank. The tanks are then inoculated with a specific commercial yeast strain, this way insuring the development of the perfect flavour profile. Fermentation is done in stainless steel fermenters, and a combination of aerative pump overs and punch down techniques are used to ensure optimal colour, tannin, and flavour extraction. Once fermentation is complete the wine is drained off the skins and moved to a holding tank to be barrelled down. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the barrels.

In 1983 Gyles Webb and his wife's family purchased a run-down fruit farm at the top of the Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch where they established Thelema Mountain Vineyards. At a time when the South African wine scene was focused on quantity rather than quality Webb was a trailblazing pioneer on a mission to craft world-class wines. Construction began on the winery in 1987 and Thelema produced its first vintage in 1988. Situated on the slopes of the Simonsberg Thelema occupies mainly south-facing aspects that afford spectacular views of the Simonsberg Drankenstein and Jonkershoek mountains. Elevations ranging from 370 to 640 meters above sea-level make the 157-hectare estate one of the coolest and highest wine farms in Stellenbosch.