For this release, we're pulling the Glass Collection Merlot 2017 from the Glenelly Estate cellar and setting it next to the newly released 2022, so you can taste exactly what that time does to a wine.
The 2017 vintage is widely regarded as one of the best vintages of recent memory. Very dry conditions, leading to smaller berries, greater concentration and healthy vineyards, was supported by moderate temperatures, allowing for optimal ripeness. This unique combination led to great complexity and incredible tannin structures. That intensity shows in the glass. Dark fruit, cherry and chocolate with hints of spiced plum, generous on the palate with fine well-structured tannins and eight years of bottle age adding a layer of complexity.
By contrast, the 2022 vintage was much trickier to manage. A very cold and wet winter led into a cool and damp spring and early summer. The ripening season, however, was hallmarked by multiple heatwaves, necessitating careful picking decisions to ensure freshness. Fortunately, our Merlot vineyards are planted high on our cool South-Eastern slope, buffering it against the worst effects of the heatwaves. The warmth of the vintage makes this wine more immediately approachable, with beautifully ripe dark fruit and a broader entry on the palate. It has been named as one of South Africa's Top 10 Merlot wines and James Suckling gave it 90 points.
One to drink now. And one to hold onto.
Glass Collection Merlot 2017: R215 per bottle
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