in the vineyard : Background
Established by the French Huguenots in 1693 on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains between Paarl and Franschhoek, Plaisir de Merle is a real gem. A Distell showpiece, this 974 hectare estate in Simondium, Paarl has earned international acclaim for its white and red wines. About 400 hectares are planted with a variety of noble grape cultivars such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz and Malbec. An area of only about 80 hectares of prime vineyards has been set aside for the Plaisir de Merle cellar. Winemaker Niel Bester, who has gained fame in producing classically styled yet accessible wines, attributes the success of his wines to being able to work with great fruit coming from a very unique terrain, as well as the valuable input from his viticulture team.
The vineyards
The diversity of the soils, slopes and elevations all add to the quality of the Plaisir de Merle grapes. Well-drained weathered granite soils (predominantly Tukulu and Hutton) with good water retention allow minimal irrigation and most vineyards are dry land. The grapes were sourced from the Plaisir de Merle vineyards in Simondium. The vines, ranging in age from 9 to 17 years, are situated between 130m and 350m above sea-level on the south-eastern slopes of the Simonsberg.
Viticulturist Freddie le Roux