Buying guide: Merlot

Merlot
audited ratings

About the category: Merlot is the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux, especially celebrated for the role it plays in the great wines of St-milion and Pomerol.

It is early ripening and typically adds flesh and roundness to a blend, thus complementing Cabernet Sauvignon which is later ripening and usually more austere.

In the rest of the world, Merlot competes only with Cabernet Sauvignon as the most planted dark-skinned grape variety. It has a huge popular following, most likely due to its reputation for being smooth textured rather than possessing any particular flavour; its detractors, meanwhile, accuse it of making safe but dull wine.

In South Africa, it is the seventh most widely planted variety, making up 6.53% of the total area under vineyard.

Key findings: South African Merlot has been getting a bad rap in recent times, but the panel was pleasantly surprised when encountering this line-up of 138 current release wines: one wine rated 4 Stars, four 4 Stars and 11 3 Stars compared to only one rated 4 Stars and six rated 3 Stars in the case of the category tasting a year ago.

How to explain the best Merlot showing in ages? The consensus was that there was more precise winemaking in evidence.

Merlot can suffer from being thin and weedy on the one hand, or sweet, alcoholic and over-oaked on the other, but producers increasingly seem capable of steering between these two pitfalls.

Vintage also played a role: 2007 was generally considered good for reds and these wines are now starting to hit the market. It was also speculated that with the recession negatively affecting sales, winemakers were inclined to bottle smaller quantities of higher-quality wine.

All of these factors have combined to ensure that for the punter in search of unpretentious, good, solid drinking, there’s plenty on offer. As for wines of excellence from the variety, some encouraging signs but it would be premature to argue that Merlot has all of a sudden become one of the country’s strong suits.

BEST VALUE MERLOT – TOP 5 WINES ON PRICE
Wines rated 2 Stars or better and recommended for particularly good value on the basis of their quality/price ratio in the context of the average price per bottle of the
138 wines assessed:

Name of wine Rating Price
1. Obikwa 2009* ARP 2 Stars R23.95
2. Riebeek Cellars 2009* 3 Stars R29
3. Zidela 2008 2 Stars R26.50
4. Bovlei 2008 3 Stars R33
5. Tall Horse 2009 (DGB) ARP 2 Stars R29.99

ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR?
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 138 Merlots assessed: R78
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 5 wines rated 4 to 4 Stars: R123
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 29 wines rated 3 to 3 Stars: R97
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 50 wines rated 2 Stars: R74
Average price per 750ml bottle of the 54 wines rated less than 2 Stars: R67

? ? ? ? ? four and a half stars
Kaapzicht 2007
CELLAR PRICE R78
Alc 14.47% RS 1.8g/l TA 7g/l pH 3.24
Intense black. The nose shows ripe red
and black berries and chocolate. The palate
is sweet and juicy with fresh acidity and
smooth tannins. Good concentration and
texture make for a generous wine. Drink
now or over the next two years.
CE 17 CR 17 FvZ 16 GdF 18 AL 18

? ? ? ? four stars
Laibach 2007
CELLAR PRICE R80
Alc 14% RS 2.8g/l TA 6.4g/l pH 3.69
Black with purple rim. An expressive wine
with plenty of dark fruit character on the
nose and palate. Rich and full bodied but
balanced by firm tannins and fresh acidity.
Good palate weight, persistent finish. Drink
now or over next the three years.
CE 17 CR 16 FvZ 16.6 GdF 16 AL 17.5

Jordan Woolworths Limited
Release 2008
WOOLWORTHS PRICE R84.95
Alc 13.5% RS 2.2g/l TA 6.7g/l pH 3.38
Intense black. Dark fruit, some herbaceous
notes and pencil shavings on the nose. The
palate is medium bodied and elegant with
juicy fruit, firm but fine tannins, and fresh
acidity. Drink now or over the next three
years.
CE 17 CR 15.5 FvZ 16.5 GdF 17 AL 16.5

Bilton 2006
CELLAR PRICE R110
Alc 13.5% RS 2.1g/l TA 6.9g/l pH 3.40
Intense black. The nose is somewhat shy but
the palate is full bodied, concentrated and
intense with a core of succulent fruit and
prominent but not discordant oak. Fresh
acidity lends tension. Drink now or over the
next three years.
CE 18 CR 16 FvZ 15 GdF 17 AL 16.5

Shannon Vineyards
Mount Bullet 2007
APPROXIMATE RETAIL PRICE R260
Alc 14% RS 2.25g/l TA 6.12g/l pH 3.40
Black with purple rim. While oak currently
predominates on both the nose and palate,
there is a core of pure fruit and bright acidity
that suggests that all component parts will
knit together well with time. Keep for at
least two years.
CE 16 CR 16 FvZ 16.5 GdF 16 AL 17.5

? ? ? ? three and a half stars
Diemersdal 2007 R55
Zevenwacht 2007 R60
KWV Reserve 2007 R65
Dieu Donn 2007 R75
Slaley 2007 R75
Anura Reserve 2007 R85
Mitre’s Edge 2008 R85
Jordan 2007* R97.50
Havana Hills Du Plessis 2005 R105
Hoopenburg Integer 2005 R105
Laibach Claypot 2006 R200

? ? ? three stars
Riebeek Cellars 2009* R29
Bovlei 2008 R33
Koelenbosch 2007 (Koelenhof) R40
Zonnebloem 2008 (Bergkelder) R52
Slaley 2006 R75
Stellekaya 2006 R75
Boland Cellar No 1 Reserve 2007 R76
Raka Barrel Select 2008 R80
Excelsior Gondolier 2007 R97
Thelema 2007 R110
Yonder Hill 2007 R110
Eagles’ Nest 2006* R120
Waterkloof Circumstance 2007 R120
Hartenberg 2007 R121
Plaisir de Merle 2006 R130
Creation 2008 R145
Spier Private Collection 2006 R148
Veenwouden 2006 R230

? ? ? two and a half stars
Obikwa 2009* ARP R23.95
Zidela 2008 R26.50
Tall Horse 2009 (DGB) ARP R29.99
Badsberg 2008 R30
Y 2009* (Yonder Hill) R30
Welmoed 2008* (the company of wine people) R33
Excelsior 2008* R39
Spier Signature 2009 R44
Kranskop Basket Pressed 2007 R45
Protea 2007* (Antonij Rupert Wines) R47
Fantail 2006 (Morgenhof) R48
Bellpost 2006 R49.40
Bovlei Centenary Collection 2007 R50
L’Avenir 2007 R50
Porcupine Ridge 2008* (Boekenhoutskloof) R50
Villiera 2007 R52.80
Linton Park 2007 R53
Ondine 2007 (Ormonde) R55
Backsberg 2007 R55.50
Jason’s Hill 2007 R59
Bein Little Merlot 2008 R60
Fleur du Cap 2008 (Bergkelder) ARP R60
Guardian Peak 2008* R60
Hazendal 2006 R60
Spookfontein 2006 R60
Bellingham Merlot R62
with a dash of Malbec 2007 (DGB) ARP
Kloovenburg 2007* R63
Glenwood 2007 R70
Ken Forrester 2007* R70
Signatures of Doolhof 2006 R75
Bushmanspad Red Gold 2006 R78
Whalehaven 2007 R78
De Grendel 2007 R80
Meerendal 2006 R80
Noble Hill 2006 R85
Longridge 2005 R88
Lomond Cape Agulhas 2005 R90
Lynx 2008 R90
Morgenhof 2006 R90
Overgaauw 2006 R94
Beau Joubert 2007 R100
Fleur du Cap R100
Unfiltered 2006 (Bergkelder) ARP
Saxenberg Private Collection 2007 R110
Steenberg 2008 R115
Amani 2007 R120
Vergelegen Reserve 2006 R120
Seidelberg Roland’s Reserve 2006 R123
Radford Dale 2005 R125
(The Winery of Good Hope)
Fraai Uitzicht 1798 2006 R148
Avondale Les Pleurs 2006 R256

? ? two stars
Bottelary 2008* R22.50
Villiersdorp 2008* R26.50
Botha 2009 R28
Perdeberg 2009* R28.50
La Bonne Vigne 2009* R32
Slanghoek Private Selection 2007 R33
Goedverwacht Crane Red 2009* R35
Du Toitskloof 2008 R36
Douglas Green 2008 (DGB) ARP R39.99
Leopards Leap 2007* ARP R39.99
Flat Roof Manor 2007* (Uitkyk) R40
Franschhoek Cellar R40
The Old Museum 2008* (DGB)
Hill & Dale 2009 (Stellenzicht) R40
Alexanderfontein 2007* (Ormonde) R41
Landskroon 2008 R44
Slowine 2008* R45
Bovlei Centenary Collection 2006 R50
Hoopenburg Bush Vine 2006 R55
DeWaal 2008 R60
Stellenzicht Golden Triangle 2005 R60
Viljoensdrift River Grandeur 2008 R60
Zevenwacht 2006 R60
D’Aria 2008 R64
Groote Post 2008 R70
Het Vlok Casteel 2007 R70
Eikendal 2007 R75
Rickety Bridge 2007 R75
Sumaridge 2007 R78
Dornier 2005 R80
Lourensford 2008* R80
Longridge 2007 R88
Painted Wolf 2008 R89
Richeneau 2005 ARP R89
Lanzerac 2008 R90
Marianne 2007 R99
Durbanville Hills Rhinofields 2007 R108
Renosterbos 2008 R120
Hillcrest 2007 R125
Durbanville Hills Luipardsberg 2007 R210
Meerlust 2006 R210

? one star
Lutzville Cool Climate 2008 R29.99
(Cape Diamond Vineyards)
Arniston Bay 2009 R31
(the company of wine people)
Swartland 2009* R34
The Guru 2008 (Hoopenburg) R38
Capell’s Court 2007 (Linton Park) R44
A Few Good Men 2007 (Riebeek Cellars) R50
Neethlingshof 2006 R55
Seidelberg 2006 R71
Brahms 2007 R75
Welbedacht Barrique Select 2007 R75
Le Manoir de Brendel 2005 R89
Linton Park Proprietor’s Reserve 2005 R1

ALSO TASTED
Audacia 2004 R40

CORKED
Rust en Vrede 2008 R130

ARP Approximate retail price
* Bottled under screwcap

WINE TASTERS: WINE magazine’s Christian Eedes (chair) (CE), Cape Wine Masters Christine Rudman (CR) and Ginette de Fleuriot (GdF), Laibach winemaker Francois van Zyl (FvZ), and wine writer Angela Lloyd (AL).

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