Merlot Forum's Top 10 include one from Paarl at just R95pb

Merlot Forum’s Top 10 include one from Paarl at just R95pb

06/2022 Mike Froud Leave a comment

WHAT TO MAKE of the inaugural Top 10 Merlot Competition organised by the South African Merlot Forum, an industry association whose members include over 40 wine farms. 71 entries from the various districts around the Cape winelands. Not bad, considering it’s the first edition of this challenge, but a way to go given that there are in excess of 300 versions of Merlot produced in a country where this is the top-selling type of red wine in terms of single-varietal bottlings – despite the fact that there are more plantings of Pinotage, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon! The identities of the also-rans aren’t disclosed, and you might well wonder if some of the benchmark producers in the category chose not to enter for whatever reason or were outshone on the tasting bench – no Shannon wines among the winners, for instance, although this Elgin estate is a member of the Forum.

However, the Top 10 in the competition include certain Merlot makers with track records of note, such as Groot Constantia and Merlot specialist Bein, located off the Polkadraai road in Stellenbosch. One of the winning cellars is in the Swartland, another is in Elgin, three are in Stellenbosch and four are in Paarl, including Vondeling of Voor Paardeberg. Vondeling cellarmaster Matthew Copeland was on the panel convened by Forum chairman Dawie Botha, winemaker at Anthonij Rupert Wyne in Franschhoek, with the other judges including Master of Wine Cathy van Zyl, wine writer Malu Lambert, Spencer Fondaumiere, chair of the SA Sommeliers Association, and Tarryn Vincent of the Reciprocal Wine Company.

According to Botha, Merlot plantings in South Africa have increased from 81ha in 1982 to 5400ha at last count. Yet a number of winemakers feel that the best expressions of the variety have not been given due recognition by various critics at various shows. Judge Lambert said of the new competition that it presents “an excellent opportunity to hone in on this South African style of Merlot… to highlight it and celebrate it.” She enthused about the “fine tannins with a lovely juiciness followed by length on the finish” that were “particularly apparent in the younger wines.” And one of the youngest of the Forum’s Top 10 is also very keenly priced, the 2020 Landskroon Merlot selling for R95 a bottle from the cellar in Paarl.

Anura Merlot Reserve 2020
R175pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl