Merlot Report 2017
By Christian Eedes, 26 June 2017
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The inaugural Merlot Report in association with the official producer body known as the Merlot Forum is now out.
67 entries were received from 50 producers for this year’s competition and we included the La Chenade 2014 Lalande de Pomerol as a ringer. These were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by the three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.
Wines to rate 90 or higher on the 100-point quality scale were as follows:
92
Boschendal 1685 2015
Price: R110
Org de Rac 2015
Price: R64
91
La Chenade 2014 Lalande de Pomerol
Wine Cellar price: R295
90
Delaire Graff 2014
Price: R295
Lourensford Limited Release 2015
Price: R180
Shannon Woolworths 2015
Price: R159.95
A further six wines rated a commendable 89 points:
Buitenverwachting 2012
Price: R160
Groenland Premium 2015
Price: R140
KWV Cathedral Cellar 2014
Price: R115
Overgaauw 2015
Price: R130
Whalehaven 2013
Price: R183
Yonder Hill 2014
Price: R190
To read the tasting report in full, download the following: Merlot Report 2017
To view a photo album of the awards function, CLICK HERE.
SteveP | 28 June 2017
Ah yes, the curse of SA wines – that so, so many just don’t keep very well. Hygiene?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_oxidation
Jacques | 27 June 2017
Very interesting to see a Pomerol wine coming third behind two SA wines while they are supposed to be having a great terroir for merlot.
Kwispedoor | 26 June 2017
I’m sure the peeps at Org de Rac will be just chuffed with this. They might be a bit surprised too, as their regular 2015 easily outperformed their 2015 (and 2014) Reserve version, not to mention it’s own two and a half star Platter rating. It’s interesting though, that so much other Swartland Merlot has been uprooted in the last few years because many feel that the Swartland is just too hot for Merlot…
I noticed that, out of all 67 wines, there were only two wines that scored lower than the Laibach Claypot 2015, which is their flagship Merlot. Laibach is somewhat of a Merlot specialist and their last vintage to be rated in Platter’s (the 2014, generally considered a weaker vintage than 2015) received five stars at the publication’s blind tasting where the guide’s top wines are tasted. What was it that put this tasting panel off this particular wine?
Christian | 27 June 2017
Hi Kwispedoor,, All three panelists commented on oxidation/premature development. Both sample bottles were opened.