Red blend the pinnacle of estate’s wines
Blockbuster worthy of premier league in luxury bottles
As winemakers are wont to say, good wine is not made in the cellar but in the vineyards, a sentiment which loosely implies a great wine can only be made from quality grapes.
This explains why wineries spend a fortune to ensure vineyards are in tip-top condition to consistently produce good quality grapes – notwithstanding the weather elements, of course – conducive to the making of a good wine.
In contrast, Plaisir de Merle distinguishes itself from the rest by following the philosophy that “our outstanding wines begin with the soil”.
Some might argue the difference between Plaisir de Merle’s philosophy and that of many other wineries which prioritise the vineyard is purely semantic, since both soil and vines are symbiotically intertwined.
Plaisir de Merle nonetheless says its adherence “to harmonious integration of vineyard practices with modern winemaking techniques have left renowned winemaker Niel Bester free to naturally influence the process”.
For Bester, who has been a cellarmaster at the estate for 25 years at the foothill of the Simonsberg Mountains between Paarl and Franschhoek, it is integral to the winery’s success in consistently producing superior wines since 1993.
Both his arrival at the winery and the launch of a new cellar in 1993 marked a milestone. But, what has resonated as the most significant milestone in Bester’s illustrious career is the release last year of the 2013 Charles Marais red blend, which he regards as the pinnacle of his long tenure at the winery.
The blockbuster wine has been welcomed as worthy of being in the premier league of luxury wines with its R1 000 price tag for indulging its supreme elegance, voluptuousness and seamless palate.
Bester says that as with any extraordinary wine, the story of the Bordeaux blend – consisting of cabernet sauvignon (30%), petit verdot (25%) and cabernet Franc (25%) and merlot (20%) – started in the vineyard. He first selected the individual grapes for their exceptional quality long before deciding what the blend components would be. “The grapes were destined for greatness and we ensured they enjoyed the royal treatment they deserved by handling the grapes separately from harvesting to fermentation and maturation. And, when the time came to blend, I only selected 12 out of the 100 barrels to create what I think is a magnificent wine.”
The result is a lip-smacking nectar of a plummy hue with aromatic dark fruit on the nose, flavours reminiscent of red berries, a juicy full-bodied palate and long savoury finish.
Bester recommends the wine with various dishes like roast rack of lamb, which was one of the culinary delights served during the Joburg launch of the wine at Parc Fermé restaurant in Sandton.
The limited edition wine is a fitting ode to the long list of pre-eminent blends produced in the estate’s 400 years of winemaking tradition and in tribute to the founder of the farm, Charles Marais, a French Huguenot. It is now part of SA liquor giant Distell.