Thelema

Merlot Reserve

Merlot from Stellenbosch, South Africa

R575

Bottle size:

750 ml

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Thelema

This wine is a limited release of the finest Merlot of the vintage. On the nose, ripe cherries, succulent raspberries, and delicate blackcurrant notes intertwine elegantly with hints of cedar, sandalwood, and baking spices. The palate offers a symphony of red fruit flavours, led by strawberries and black cherries, balanced by refined acidity, velvety tannins, and subtle minerality. This Merlot exemplifies elegance and balance, offering a sophisticated yet approachable expression.

Ripe Cherries

Raspberry

Black Currant

Sandalwood

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.

Thelema

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.