DeWaal Merlot 2014 & Anina Meyer’s Crispy Pork Belly Ribs with Green Sauce & Honey Roasted Potatoes

Tuesday, 28 March, 2017
Michael Olivier ‏Communications
With its very close ties to Pinotage, one might be forgiven overlooking the other classy reds the DeWaal Vineyards produces.

DeWaal wines was one of the early bottlers of a single variety Merlot. The first vintage was 1984 and from 1986, the wine was served to First Class passengers on our national carrier, South African Airways.

Their Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines are much sought after as is the sublime DeWaal Merlot 2014.

From low north facing slopes from a vineyard over 30 years old, planted on gravel and loam soils, the Estate takes off an even handed 6 tons per hectare ensuring excellent concentration of aroma, colour and flavour. Maceration took place over 7 days before fermentation and then for a further 3 days post fermentation. After this the wine spent a year in 225 litre French Oak Barrels of which 40% were new [showing the seriousness of the elevation] and the balance second fill.

The wine is then prepared for bottling. This one is a laster and will happily go through ten years of maturation if properly cellared.

It looks like
Bottled under a natural cork closure in a Bordeaux shaped bottle with the elegant DeWaal livery. In the glass, an opaque bloodplum at the core which pales out to ruby garnet at the rim of the glass.

It smells like
Fresh Achen Prune Plums, roadside brambles with the oak, understated and shining with its concomitant spices.

It tastes like
Sappy ripe dark berries and Crème de Cassis. Full bodied, excellent harmony of fruit, acidity, tannins and oak – with a long aftertaste. At three years old, drinking really well, round and easy.

It’s good with
Merlot is universally the favoured ‘glass of red’, soft easy drinker.  Perfect for drinking before dinner, as an accompaniment to a well-cooked meal, or after dinner in quiet contemplation.  Ideal for when you want a good bottle with your midweek supper.  Anina Meyer’s Crispy Pork Belly Ribs with Green Sauce & Honey Roasted Potatoes just beg for this wine. Click here for her recipe.

DeWaal Wines invite you to join Owner Pieter de Waal, on Saturday April 1st, on his relaxing Top of the Hill Fun Walk on the farm, to the oldest existing Pinotage block in the world!

Planted in April 1950, this vineyard block of the classic South African wine grape is now a magnificent 67 years old.

Meet at 09h45 at the Tasting Venue. The Walk commences at 10h00, through the farm and the many rows of vineyards to the shade of the magnificent Old Wild Fig Tree.

This is a landmark on the farm and based next to this very old vineyard block. Here you will take a short break, as this is the perfect spot to taste the flagship wine – DeWaal Top of the Hill Pinotage 2014, a wine selected by an Italian publication as one of the “1001 Wines to Drink at Least Once in a Lifetime”

Included with the Top of the Hill Walk is a tasting of the DeWaal range of wines, a lovely selection of local cheeses and accompaniments on the outside Terrace and a glass of DeWaal wine of your choice.

Date: Saturday 1st April | Cost: R195.00 per person... Weather permitting

This extremely popular event fills up quickly, so do book soon.

Contact Details
Name: Helga Truter | Phone: +27.218813711 | Email: admin@dewaal.co.za.

You might use this chance to pick up a couple of bottles of the DeWaal Young Vines Sauvignon Blanc 2016, a steal at R65 from the Estate. It came second in the 2017 Best Value Awards.

Read more about DeWaal Wines and buy online – CLICK HERE.

subscribe to news
Merlot grapes hanging on the vine
Merlot grapes hanging on the vine

Anina Meyer’s Crispy Pork Belly ribs Green Sauce & Honey Roasted Potatoes
Anina Meyer’s Crispy Pork Belly ribs Green Sauce & Honey Roasted Potatoes

more news