2007 Rainbow’s End Single Vineyard Merlot Banhoek Stellenbosch 80+ Points
Dark cherry red with a bright purple rim, excellent clarity, rarely encountered in a Cape Merlot.
Fragrant, plum touch of earth lends Old World austerity with some notes of fruity aromas more reminiscent of a Chilean Merlot, than Cape……
Some lead pencil minerality, ripe mulberries sweetness, tight acidity quite overpowering, lacking Merlot flesh (It’s more of a Cape Merlot characteristic than bad winemaking) otherwise savoury juicy plum, delicate tannins needs 2 years for integration, some note of salty minerality.
The best attribute about this Merlot was the very positive colour concentration, more Pomerol / St Emillion than New World.
Now until 2014