Indaba Merlot
“Carefully crafted in a fresh, clean style, this velvety Merlot offers appealing aromas and bright, succulent flavors of cherry, dark berry and plum backed by subtle mocha and herbal nuances and a delicate minerality.”
Winemakers: Bruwer Raats & Clayton Christians
Varietal Blend: 100% Merlot
Location: South Africa
Appellation: Western Cape
Alcohol Content: 14%
TA: 5.84 g/l
pH: 3.54
RS: 3.25 g/l
Certifications: Integrated Production of Wines (IPW) Certified
VINEYARDS
The grapes are sourced from select vineyard sites in Stellenbosch and Paarl, planted in soils of decomposed granite, weathered shale, clay and sandy loam, with good moisture retention capacity. Most of the vineyards are located on southwest facing slopes, where they benefit from cool afternoon breezes off the Atlantic. The vines range in age from 16-25 years, with an average age of 18 years.
VINTAGE
Due to a cool, wet spring, budding was seven to 14 days later than normal on average, but consistently good and even. The cool weather delayed initial shoot growth. Most vines started to catch up by flowering, which occurred about five days later than usual. Harvest time was delayed by ten to 14 days on avergae. As temperatures remained moderate throughout the rest of the season vineyards took their time to reach optimum ripeness.
VINIFICATION & MATURATION
The grapes were harvested in the early morning hours, de-stemmed and gently crushed. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, with frequent gentle pumpovers to extract color and tannin from the skins. A small percentage of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation. A very small portion of the blend was aged in 225 liter French oak barrels for up to 12 months.
