Meerlust - Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Meerlust Estate is located in Stellenbosch , South Africa . The estate has been in the Myburgh family since 1756 and is now run by the eighth generation, Hannes Myburgh. Meerlust means 'pleasure of the sea' and refers to the mansion, situated on a granite outcrop just 5 kilometers from False Bay. The vineyards benefit from cooling ocean breezes and evening mists during the summer, which help lengthen the growing season and allow the grapes to ripen more slowly, a major factor in the resulting flavor intensity. The modern era of the estate begins in the 1960s when Nico Myburgh (Hannes' father) visits Bordeaux and discovers that the terroir of this region of France resembles that of the Eerste valley: both have a particular climate. , characterized by a refreshing sea breeze, as well as a soil structure composed of decomposed granite and clay. In 1984 he produced Rubicon for the first time, one of South Africa's first blended wines. The Myburgh family today cultivates Bordeaux grape varieties (Merlot on rich clay and Cabernet on well-drained granite) and Burgundian grape varieties (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) planted in the highest part of the vineyard, where it cooler.
Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 was vinified using fruit selected from two low-yielding mature vineyards. The vines are densely planted on well-drained, gravelly, low-vigor soils, which contain approximately 15% clay to ensure water availability to the vine roots throughout the growing season. The vinification is traditional with regular pumping over. The wine is aged for 17 months in French oak barrels : 70% new and 30% second filling.
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon