Landskroon Paul de Villiers Merlot 2019.
Landskroon Wine Estate is one of the premier wine estates in the Paarl wine appellation. Owned and managed by the De Villiers family for 5 generations, the estate is situated on the southwest facing slopes of the iconic Paarl Mountain. Each generation’s senior has been called Paul, so the current award-winning cellarmaster is Paul 5th and his antecedents.
Merlot, the old French name for a Blackbird, is one of the noble Bordeaux red wine varieties. The grape is used as a major blender on the right bank of the Gironde River which runs northwards through Bordeaux to its estuary which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Hugo and Paul de Villiers with Winemaker Fanie Geyser & Assistant Winemaker Kaylin Baxter.
The team has made a serious wine here. Matured for 16 months in 50% new French Oak Barrels, 30% in 2nd fill and the balance in 3rd fill. The wines are then blended and prepared for bottling.
Pour
From a Bordeaux shaped bottled, with an elegant label and closed with natural cork. In the glass, the wine is a deep bloodplum in colour which pales out to ruby at the edges. The aromas and palate segue one into the other. Morello cherries, young berries, a touch of tobacco and a share of dark chocolate. The tannins are finely structured and add so much interest to the wine other than its sweet ripe fruit. Fresh, satisfying long and gently waning aftertaste. Eminently drinkable now, though it will age well with a couple of years of cool cellaring.
Pair
The Landskroon Paul de Villiers Merlot 2019 is the wine for your Sunday Lunch. And will follow up well with the cheese before the dessert. And if your dessert is a rich chocolatey affair, it will even match that!
Dianne Bibby’s barbecue meatballs with bacon gravy.
Another dish which works really well with the wine is Dianne Bibby’s Barbecue Meatballs with Bacon Gravy. click HERE for her recipe.