Meerlust Rubicon Stellenbosch Vintage Trilogy (Gift Box)

Description

A wooden gift box with three outstanding vintages of Meerlust Estate’s flagship Rubicon. Long recognised for producing premium wines, Meerlust Estate pioneered the Bordeaux blend in Stellenbosch.

Meerlust Estate has been part of the Myburgh family tradition for eight generations, dating back to 1693. Long recognized for producing world-class wines, the Meerlust Estate is singularly rich in charm and history. Meerlust produces wines that are true to the intrinsic character of their vineyards located in the Stellenbosch region. The diverse soils, the unique coastal climate and over 300 years of dedication are all essential components of Meerlust’s complex, rich and truly distinctive wines.

2018: Very deep, youthful colour, and intense almost purple hue. Quintessential Rubicon nose with violets, ripe plum, cedar wood, fennel, and intense spiciness. A typical liquorice note also evident on the nose. Still young and intense, the palate is full bodied, structured but packed with fresh dark fruit and rounded tannins. This is a vintage that is more approachable in youth because of the ripeness and richness levels attained in 2018 but will provide great complexity with further maturation. Ageing Potential: 10 – 20 years, provided wine is stored in ideal cellar conditions.

2017: This is of deep ruby red colour with some extraction in its tears. The nose is packed with exotic aromas of fresh black plum, cassis, sandalwood and perfume, still with a touch of creamy vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with dark cherry and berry fruit flavours followed by smooth and round tanns fleshed out with juicy fruit. Savoury meaty flavours linger on - This will work with any slow-cooked or BBQ-ed flavours.

2016: The 2016 Rubicon shows great charm and drinkability even at this early stage, no doubt a result of the high Merlot and Cabernet Franc composition. We were very cautious with regards to tannic structure as some of the later Cabs exhibited astringency which we wanted to minimise in the final blend. Wonderful exotic aromas of plum, sandalwood and perfume, still with a touch of creamy vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with a forward dark fruit flavour of cassis and mulberry followed by a lithe tannic structure fleshed out with juicy fruit. The impression is one of litheness and grace rather than over-arching power, Chris Williams.