Morgenster Estate Reserve 2011

Colour: Bright deep plum red. Vibrant, youthful appearance.
Nose: Striking, unabashed opulence greets you with gusto. Red and black Merlot fruit abound, offset with the most fragrant spice of the Petit Verdot and enhanced with blueberry, blackberry and cassis of the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Palate: Fantastically soft silky tannins fill the mouth and an overwhelming sweetness and fullness. Classical flavours show pencil shavings, fresh paprika and prominent concentrations of sweet cherry and blackcurrant.

Most young bold Bordeaux blends pair well with something hearty. Big flavours abound and team well with a prime piece of beef, lamb, venison or duck. It is also a wine to sip on its own for the pleasure of uncovering the layers of its complexity.

variety : Merlot [ 59% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot ]
winemaker : Henry Kotzé
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.39 % vol  rs : 2.26 g/l  pH : 3.63  ta : 5.51 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry  body : Full  taste : Herbaceous   wooded
pack : Bottle  size : 750ml  closure : Cork  

AWARDS

James Suckling - 94 points (2017)
Platter Guide 4 ½ stars (2017)
Stephen Tanzer 91 points (2017)
5 Star Wines, VinItaly 90 points (2017)
Tim Atkin - List of Best Red Bordeaux 94 points (2015)

ageing : A wine with great depth and complexity which Henry punts as outlasting 20 years.

in the vineyard : 
According to winemaker Henry Kotzé who worked on this, his second Bordeaux harvest for the Estate, the increasing maturity of the vines - they vary in age from 7 to 18 years - facilitated his and the viticulturist’s efforts to bring the fruit to the specific ripeness he wanted.

Grapes were derived from vineyard sites with a diversity of soils, from deep decomposed granite to the stonier decomposed Table Mountain Sandstone, all yielding pristine fruit. The beautiful grip from the sturdy Schaapenberg terroir came through to make this a wine to remember.

In line with the philosophy behind Morgenster Estate, the focus of this Morgenster Reserve 2011 is to encapsulate the best possible blend of the vintage to make it a true reflection of the terroir and what can best be achieved under the harvest conditions. The result is a wine with great depth and complexity which Henry punts as outlasting 20 years.

Vineyard: Stellenbosch
Region: Helderberg ward

Vintage Conditions:
The 2011 vintage was very dry, with no rain falling in the New Year and very little after veraison. December 2010 was the windiest in 50 years, contributing to a lower water holding capacity in the vineyards. This required close monitoring of the vines with maintenance of higher stress levels and irrigation only being done in extreme cases.

in the cellar : Maturation: 16 months in tight grain French oak barrels, around 60% in new oak and 20% each in second and third fill barrels

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OTHER VINTAGES

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Merlot
Merlot
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon