Name: Anthonij Rupert Merlot 2018
Brand: Anthonij Rupert
Price: 35.5 EUR
Availability: InStock

Anthonij Rupert Merlot 2018

"I will never drink any ******* Merlot!" The legendary line from the movie Sideways that shot this variety down for a time. In this case, however, everything is completely different. This is a perfect example of the variety. The colour is dark ruby with very good viscosity. The aroma opens with classic forest fruits, traces of gunpowder and tobacco leaves. On the palate it is wonderfully complex and layered, with great acidity and firm tannins, and even our sommelier, who is not a big fan of this variety, describes it as one of the best wines in the portfolio.

Matouš Forman 93

2018 / 0,75l / 13,5% / Franschhoek - South Africa

About the winery

In 1984, Anthony took over the management of L'Ormarins from his father and restored the farm and the historic cellar (dating from 1799), which were declared national monuments. After that, his son Anthony took over the management of the winery and in 1989 L'Ormarins won all the major local wine competitions. In 2001, Anthony Rupert tragically died and Johann Rupert took over the company. In 2005, Anthonij Rupert builds a cellar.

A state-of-the-art gravity-fed cellar with a revolving ceiling and an underground wine barrel aging cellar, completed in memory of his brother. In the same year, he employs internationally renowned oenologist Michel Rolland as a consultant to the Anthonij Rupert team, resulting in the first vintage of Anthonij Rupert wines released in 2009. Since the first vintage, all wines from this winery have consistently scored 90 points or higher in Wine Spectator magazine's ratings.

Terroir

The Franschhoek Valley, located in the south-eastern corner of Paarl in South Africa's Western Cape, is a vast area interspersed with vineyards and known for its prestigious wine estates. This charming valley has been a centre of wine production since the 17th century and is particularly famous for its Cap Classique sparkling wines, which are made mainly from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties.

The valley's winemaking roots date back to the late 16th century, when French Huguenots fleeing their homeland brought their winemaking know-how to South Africa. The name Franschhoek, which means 'French corner' in Dutch, reflects the lingering French influence, which is reflected in the names of the vineyards and the town's architectural style. The surrounding mountains play a key role in mitigating the climate by trapping the cool southerly winds, thus extending the growing season and contributing to the development of complex grape aromas.

Franschhoek enjoys a warm continental climate which is ideal for producing sparkling and rich white wines with a fruity edge. The soil composition is predominantly alluvial sandstone, with granite deposits on the northern mountain slopes.