Cape Heights Merlot

Cape Heights Merlot

A supple and juicy Merlot sourced from long established Western Cape vineyards

P

PRODUCTION
Merlot grapes are sourced from long standing vineyards on the Swartland/Wellington borders and also
the Breede River Valley. Low rainfall, warm weather, mainly decomposed granite soils and low
trellised vines all adds really interesting complexity to the final wine. Grapes are picked in mid-March,
destemmed and placed in open top fermenters. Pigeage is carried out four times daily (whilst up to half
of the sugar is fermented), then only twice daily to the end of fermentation – this is a soft delicate way
of wetting the cap and aerating the wine. Malolactic fermentation follows before the wine is left on its
lees to extract extra depth and soft tannins. A touch of elegance is achieved by using a modest amount
(10%) of oak.
TASTING NOTE
A bright and juicy Merlot with an attractively ripe, red berry nose. A rounded spicy palate with
generous plum and hedgerow fruit flavours leading to a fresh, gently spicy finish.
FOOD MATCH
Grilled lamb, pasta with a tomato-based sauce, chorizo and butterbean stew, spicy sausages and mash.

Boutinot South Africa is driven by a passion for discovery and desire to capture the real essence of South Africa in every bottle. It was the simple love of Loire Chenin Blanc that first led them to South Africa in 1994, where they pioneered the wild ferment style that has now been adopted by many producers in this region. They use a combination of knowledge, a love of nature and science to create versatile, expressive and food-friendly wines from a country that has been making wine for 360 years. The key is knowing the characteristics of each plot, understanding the benefits each cultivar can bring, breaking rules and pushing boundaries.

Since then they have been exploring the country’s amazing vineyards to make fabulous wines from specific sites and plots that scream location, location, terroir.. Their home-grown South African winemaking team of JD Rossouw and Ryno Booysen drive the energy and enthuasiam for expressing the loveliest wines from their country, along with Samantha Bailey’s expertise in finesse.

To find out more about the winery go to their website by clicking here

You can see our full range of Boutinot South Africa wines by clicking here

Cape Heights Merlot