We at Meerlust Estate are excited to announce the release of the 2023 vintage of the Rubicon. A pre-release offer of Rubicon 2023 is now available to our wine club members, directly from the winery. The vintage will be available in stores from December 2025.
The 2023 vintage saw very similar cool ripening conditions as with the much-lauded 2021 vintage. Our early phenolic ripening, that is a key attribute of the area allowed us to harvest intense, flavourful, and bright varietal components. We, however, saw rapid flavour development with the majority of our vineyards harvested before the rains began in the latter part of March.
Meerlust Estate Rubicon 2023 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (36%), Cabernet Franc (11%) and Petit Verdot (7%). Every parcel of each variety was fermented separately before undergoing malolactic fermentation in 300 L barrels. After 8 months in barrel, the components were blended and given another 10 months in barrel for harmonization before bottling.
The similarities in growing conditions between 2021 and 2023, extends in many ways to the expression found in the wines of 2023.
This Rubicon leads with intense dark fruit, slight savoury nori notes, followed by graphite and cool herbal tones. The palate is still very tightly curled, and opens with power and persistence with decanting. A Rubicon that truly expresses the ageability of the sites, but with elegance and balance that allows for earlier drinkability.
Rubicon 2023: R610 per bottle | Wine club members pay R549
Free shipping with all orders over R3000.
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More new vintage releases
In addition, we have also released the new vintages of Estate Red 2022, and Cabernet Sauvignon 2022. Both are now available to taste in our tasting room, and available for purchase online.
Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (R490 per bottle)
Tim Atkin SA Special report - 94 points
Cabernet Sauvignon, the first wine to ever carry a Meerlust label. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from three very distinct parcels on the farm. Blocks were hand-picked, vinified separately and racked straight to barrel for 6 months where the components underwent malolactic fermentation. After this initial time in barrel, the final selection for the wine was made, the components racked and blended, and the final wine was moved back to barrel for further 12 months of maturation. 50 % new French oak was used in the maturation.
Tasting notes
Very deep, youthful ruby colour with an intense garnet hue. It offers aromas of blackcurrant, black plum, tobacco and cedarwood and graphite combined with oyster shell typical to our Cabernets’. Still young and intense, the palate is structured and packed with ripe black berries and wonderfully elegant tannins. Dark chocolate and salted liquorice on the finish. This is a classic and elegant vintage and will provide great complexity with further maturation.
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Meerlust Estate Red 2022 (R250 per bottle)
Tim Atkin SA Special report - 92 points
The 'second wine' from the Estate, produced from younger vineyards that will later be included in the Rubicon blend, as well as selected vineyard sites. The Estate Red 2022 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Cabernet Franc (40%), and Merlot (10%) every parcel of each variety was fermented separately before undergoing 16 months of oak maturation in 300 L barrels and large Foudré.
Tasting notes
Youthful ruby red colour, with a garnet red hue. Supple red and black fruit, with warm spice on the nose with some supporting oak notes. Still young and intense, the palate is full bodied, structured but packed with fresh red fruit and soft, rounded tannins.
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Visit our tasting room to taste our wines
Come and enjoy a tasting of our wines with a cheese and charcuterie platter on our deck while being cooled by the sea breeze.
Our tasting room is open from Monday to Friday from 09h00 to 17h00, and on Saturday and public holidays from 10h00 to 15h00. Please note that we are closed on Sunday, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
We'll make sure to have something special and older available for tasting over the Festive Season.
- Standard Tasting (no booking required): We offer a tasting of our full range of wines, including the Rubicon, at R100 per person, which is refundable per person who purchase wine after their tasting.
- Seated VIP Tasting (booking required): Our VIP tasting will be presented by a wine specialist in our private seated tasting room. It includes our full range of current vintage wines, as we as an older vintage of Rubicon and one of our other Estate wines, these are served in Riedel varietal range glassware. A fee of R300 per person applies.
For bookings, please email tasting@meerlust.co.za.
We look forward to welcoming you to Meerlust to celebrate the festive season with us!
