Boschendal 1685 Merlot 2012

On the nose pronounced ripe mulberry flavours play around with soft touches of vanilla and expressive dark chocolate richness. The palate follows through with plush mulberry flavours, but this time more red and vibrant, supported by refined wood tannins and finishing with a combined aftertaste of savoury fynbos and very subtle freshly roasted coffee beans.

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variety : Merlot [ 100% Merlot ]

winery : Boschendal Estate

winemaker : JC Bekker

wine of origin : Coastal Region

analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol rs : 3.3 g/l pH : 3.61 ta : 5.7 g/l

type : Red style : Dry wooded

pack : Bottle size : 750ml closure : Cork

ageing : The multi-layered complexity of this wine will develop over the following 3-7 years.

in the vineyard : Viticulturist's Details
The grapes are from various vineyard sites in the Banhoek and Bottelary areas of Stellenbosch. The composition of specific vineyards expressions provides the inherent nuances for the character of this wine. The vineyards range in age between 6 – 22 years old, on a variety of soils.

Vineyard Management
Shoot thinning, bunch thinning and green harvesting were all done in the vineyards to minimise potential green/vegetative flavours in the fruit and maximise the fruit aromas

about the harvest: Hand-picking of the first vineyards started in the first week in march, with the last vineyards harvested during the last week of March. All grapes and bunches were sorted in the vineyard to ensure that no green or unripe berries made I to the cellar.

in the cellar : Fermentation in stainless steel lasted between 10-15 days, between 26-28°C, to achieve a balance between primary fruit aromas and good colour and structure extraction. There was extended skin maceration, and 50% of the wines went through malolactic fermentation in barrel, the rest in stainless steel. All wines were in French oak barrels to mature for 12-14 months. Of this around 20% were new first fill oak.

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