Excelsior Robertson Merlot 2023
On the nose, this wine shows lovely ripe blackcurrant characters, backed up by smoky coffee and spice notes. The palate is soft, with ripe tannins and a long finish.
For years the Excelsior land was grazed by thoroughbred horses, the limestone rich soils thought to provide them with a source of calcium through the vegetation they consumed. This limestone content has proven to be beneficial for grape growing; the grapes grown here display greater spice notes in reds and fresher acidity in whites, than is typical in the Robertson region. Merlot is difficult to grow successfully as the variety often displays green flavours and tannins. To minimise this, very strict canopy management practices are followed, with water shoot removal twice, leaf pluck where necessary, and most importantly bunch thinning. This ensures an adequately "open" canopy, so that most berries get sunlight exposure. This brings out the blackcurrant and red fruit characters of Merlot and avoids green tannins.
Grapes were harvested by hand for greater quality control. The bunches were immediately destemmed, but kept whole berry. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks for a period of seven days at temperatures between 28 and 32°C. Aerated racking took place twice daily to ensure a clean ferment and soft tannins. The grapes were gently pressed in a bladder press, after which malolactic fermentation was completed in tank. The wine was aged for 18 months prior to bottling.
| RRP | £12.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Breede River Valley |
| Subregion | Robertson |
| Grapes | Merlot 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 3.2 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Stelvin Lux |
| Winemaker | Johan Stemmet |
The De Wet family has owned Excelsior Estate, in the Western Cape town of Robertson, since 1859. Though the estate has had various incarnations, including ostrich farming and racehorse rearing, it has always been used for vine growing. Freddie De Wet and his sons Peter and Jacques now run the 220-hectare estate focused on the ‘big five’ varieties, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Robertson is located 100 kilometres east of Cape Town, where, although the climate is hotter, it is moderated by sea breezes and the Breede River. The diurnal temperature differences allow for slow ripening and retention of the primary fruit aromatics and bright acidity.
Excelsior is unique for such a large estate, as all the grapes are hand-harvested, providing many jobs for the local community. As a result, they have the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association’s (WIETA) Fair Labour Practice seal and are also Integrity and Sustainability Certified by the Wine and Spirit Board. Both are voluntary accreditations that adhere to strict codes of conduct.
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