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"At Meerlust, our Merlot has always been seen as a mini Rubicon,” observes winemaker Chris Williams, referring to the Stellenbosch estate’s iconic blend. “If you couldn’t get Rubicon, you were offered the Merlot instead. I’m now working hard to distinguish it as a fine wine in its own right.”
It all starts in the winelands – a vineyard planted in 1979, making Meerlust one of the pioneering Merlot producers. “In those days, vines were planted without the benefit of modern scientific technology like soil analysis,” notes Williams, who believes site selection is absolutely crucial when it comes to this variety. “It’s even more site-specific than Pinot Noir! At Meerlust we’re fortunate that it was planted in the right place pretty much by gut feel.”
Most important of all, says Williams, is the high clay content of the soil. “This protects the vines from water stress… Any water stress whatsoever and Merlot loses all varietal definition and you end up with jammy sweet-and-sour flavours.”
In the cellar, hand-picked-and-selected grapes undergo what Williams describes as “classic Bordelais vinification” with partial uninoculated fermentation. “The wild fermentation provides some savoury, yeasty flavours alongside the more typically fruity ones.” In 2004, he added 12% Cabernet Franc for structure: “Merlot has wonderfully fleshy fruit but it can get a bit flabby when older. The Cab Franc also gives the wine a wonderful perfume.”
And that’s important, with Williams trying to differenctiate the Merlot from the Rubicon as much as possible. “Rubicon is all about structure and power, whereas the Merlot should be opululent and sexy; a more feminine wine with a fine, silky, satin-like texture and a musky perfume on the nose.”
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