Merlot
Merlot 2018
Bold purple plums, black cherries and perfume with subtle edge of cut flower stems on the nose. The palate is taut, needing a bit of time and air to reveal its strata of spicy purple and black berry fruits. There’s an oak edge which lends both spice and structure to the wine while acidity adds freshness and piquancy. Savoury, tangy and tasty with a long tail, it will reward patience.
Merlot 2017
Black Forest gateau aromas and deep plum aromas with spice hints are present on the nose. The palate is plush and enveloping, with black cherry, plum, and understated spice notes. rounded, soft, and velvety textured, but with a core of ripe, dark fruit. The oak is beautifully integrated and supportive without being dominant. Elegant, refined, and well structured, the wine is a good reflection of an excellent vintage, despite being in the middle of a drought. Long and rewarding tail.
Accolades: 89 Points – Tim Atkin MW
Merlot 2016
Tempting herb notes overlay riper plum and berry fruit aromas. In the mouth hedgerow fruit or berries and plum flavours are joined by deeper, darker inky nuances of cocoa and cedar. A deceptively soft textured palate also shows intensity with spice and earthiness and some powerful muscularity from time in oak. The tannins are integrated and add structure and grip as well as a dry, oak element to the long fruited tail.
Complex and delightful, will benefit from further ageing.
Accolades: 90 Points – Tim Atkin MW, 91 Points – Platter’s SA
Merlot 2015
Seductive meaty black fruit aromas with traces of white pepper and a shy hint of smoke. Appealing sour plum, black cherry and soy sauce flavour makes for a deliciously savoury mouthful. A toned, sculpted frame of well-knit oak balances bright spice and succulence. The palate is plush and silky while also demonstrating leashed power and presence. Beautifully restrained and statuesque with a darkly delicious aftertaste.
Accolades: 91 Points – Wine Spectator, 4.5 Stars – Platter’s SA
Merlot 2014
Intriguing complex nose of shy perfume, red and black fruit and faint spice note with even a hint of licorice in the mix.
On the palate, the first sensation is textural – velvety, smooth and silky. Spicy with blackberries, rich fruitcake and understated touch of tobacco leaf. There’s a soft squeeze of dry tannin without the wine being grippy or astringent. Lovely integration of oak and fruit which will aid ageing. Superbly poised and balanced with lovely length. Elegance retained to the end.
Vintage Notes
Due to a prolonged drought that was possibly the worst in a century’s worth of records, the harvest season of 2018 was especially challenging. The dry weather that persisted throughout the season had some positive effects, namely that the vines were in better health and there were either fewer or no instances of pests and diseases recorded. Because of the stress caused by a lack of water, the berries were significantly smaller than usual, which led to a reduced harvest. Smaller berries offer higher colour and flavour intensity, and the 2018 vintage is expected to be of high quality due to the milder temperatures during harvest.
Winemaking
Grapes are hand-picked, placed in small lug boxes, and transported to the cellar in a refrigerated truck. The whole berries are double-sorted in the cellar using optical sorting before being gravity-fed into wood fermenters. Each batch is cold-soaked for a few days and then gradually brought up to temperature, where fermentation occurs naturally. After fermentation, the skins can be macerated for 5 days. The wines were matured in 50% new French wood for 24 months before being bottled unfiltered and bottle-aged for an additional three years. The grapes come primarily from our Franschhoek vineyards, with a small percentage coming from our Groenekloof vineyards.
Origin of Fruit
Coastal
Vintage Notes
Vineyards selected for the Anthonij Rupert range of wines are chosen from vines planted on very specific sites and soil types. The canopies of each block and the final yield of each site are managed precisely to express the character of the specific varietal and its location.
Winemaking
Grapes are picked by hand, placed into small lug boxes, and transported to the cellar in a refrigerated truck. In the cellar, the whole berries are double-sorted with optical sorting and then gravity-fed into wood fermenters. Each batch is cold-soaked for a few days and then slowly brought up in temperature, where fermentation takes place naturally. After fermentation, 5 days of maceration on the skins are allowed. The wines were aged for 24 months in 60% new French oak, bottled unfiltered, and then bottle-aged for 3 years.
Origin of Fruit
Coastal
Vintage Notes
The vineyards selected for the Anthonij Rupert wines are chosen from vines planted on very specific sites and soil types. The canopies of each block and the final yield of each site was managed precisely to express the character of the specific varietal and location.
Winemaking
Grapes are picked by hand, placed into small lug boxes and transported to the cellar in a refrigerated truck. In the cellar, the whole berries are manually double sorted and then gravity fed into fermenters. Each batch is cold soaked for a few days and then slowly brought up in temperature, with fermentation taking place naturally. The wines were aged for 18 to 24 months in 80% new French oak, bottled unfiltered and furthermore bottle aged for 2 years.
Origin of Fruit
Franschhoek & Darling
Vintage Notes
Grapes are picked by hand, placed into small lug boxes and transported to the cellar in a refrigerated truck. In the cellar, the whole berries are manually double sorted and then gravity fed into fermenters. Each batch is cold soaked for a few days and then slowly brought up in temperature, fermentation takes place naturally. The wines were aged for 18 to 24 months in 80% new French oak, bottled unfiltered and bottle aged for 2 years.
Winemaking
The vineyards selected for the Anthonij Rupert wines are chosen from vines planted on very specific sites and soil types. The canopies of each block and the final yield of each site was managed precisely to express the character of the different varietal and location.
Origin of Fruit
Franschhoek
Vintage Notes
Grapes are picked by hand, placed into small lug boxes and transported to the cellar in a refrigerated truck. In the cellar, the whole berries are manually double sorted and then gravity fed into fermentors. Each batch is cold-soaked for a few days and then slowly brought up in temperature. Fermentation takes place naturally. The wines were aged for 18 to 24 months in 80% new French oak, bottled unfiltered and bottle-aged for 2 years.
Winemaking
The vineyards selected for the Anthonij Rupert wines are chosen from vines planted on very specific sites and soil types. The canopies of each block and the final yield of each site were managed precisely to express the character of the different varietal and location.
Origin of Fruit
Franschhoek
Blend
Ample ripe black fruit, Christmas pudding, spice and cigarbox - all beautifully underpinned by refined oaking.
Cabernet Sauvignon
A study in subtlety: Christmas cake, typically Bordelaise tea leaf, cassis, violet and spice aromatics.
Cabernet Franc
Fruitcake, cassis and spice nose with a light floral whiff adding an extra element.
Syrah
Understated fynbos edge to plump black plum and vanilla spice with a hint of violets on the nose.
Merlot
Mellow blueberry fruit tinged with cinnamon spice and a light, turned earth note.
Optima
Delightful interplay of blackcurrant, cassis, violet perfume and an earthy richness.
Petit Verdot
Enveloping rich fruitcake aromatics with a hint of charcuterie alongside spice.