The Midlands Merlot Nouveau

Innovative new wine catches on in KZNDurban � An innovative new red wine that caters for the hot KwaZulu-Natal summer and it's associated outdoor lifestyle activities has been met with an enthusiastic response from the provinces wine lovers..

The Midlands Nouveau, made from Merlot grapes grown at the Greytown vineyards of The Stables Wine Estate, is modelled on the distinctive Beaujolais Nouveau wines that are made in France each year, offering wine lovers the first red wines from the year's harvest.

"Our 2009 Merlot lent itself to a light, easy drinking wine," said winemaker Tiny van Niekerk.


"We are continually being asked for wines suitable to the KZN summer conditions, and our Clariet blanc de noir proved to be a very popular wine at braais or at social functions around the pool.

"The Midlands Nouveau, which is a light bodied dry red wine, is intended to be served well chilled, and offers elements of dark fruits, plum, strawberry, cherries ands raspberry notes on the nose and palate.

"I have been bowled over by the response to this first vintage of the Midlands Nouveau," said Van Niekerk. "I was optimistic that it would suit the KZN climate and lifestyle, but based on the response to the experiment it will definitely be a regular feature of ours."


"It's a red wine for white wine lovers, or for those looking for something more substantial than a rose," Van Niekerk added.The wine has struck a chord with wine experts as well.

"Pleasant and gulpable, (it) has potential for a good uncomplicated everyday drinking" enthused well known sommelier Miguel Chan.


At the recent Durban Day concert at the Botanic Gardens wine lovers were given the opportunity to try the new product, and it sold out inside an hour as the hot weather conditions provided an ideal platform for the new wines relevance.


Similarly visitors to The Stables Wine Estate outside Nottingham Road have fallen for the chilled red wine, with the 375ml bottles of the wine proving to be as popular as the conventional sized 750ml bottles.


"The balance of our Merlot we left on the vine to ripen, which will produce a traditional full-bodied red wine that will be barrel matured and released some time in the future," said van Niekerk.

"It is exciting to be able to turn around a red wine in such a short space of time, and to get the overwhelming response that we have had to the Midlands Nouveau.

"The Beaujoulais Nouveau tradition was born in France in 1951, when the government for the first time allowed Beaujolais estates to sell their wines one month ahead of the rest in the county.

At present the annual release of the Beaujoulais Nouveau just after midnight on the third Thursday of November triggers a frenzy worldwide, and roughly 50% of the sixty million bottles produced are exported out of France.

The light, easy drinking red wine is intended for immediate consumption and not for cellar maturation, offering a glimpse into the characteristics that can be expected from the other red wines from that vintage which are generally subject to further wood maturation before being released.