Catherine Marshall WinesAmatra Merlot "The Oreads" 2016 (R91.50 per bottle, 6 bottles)

About

Catherine Marshall Wines is an Independent Wine Company producing hand-crafted, premium wines in the Elgin Valley along the Cape South Coast. The vines are grown in cool climate conditions, produce intense, bright, pure and fresh wines of character. Catherine Marshall is the first eponymous range in South Africa to be released by a woman winemaker. 

96% Merlot, Cabernet Franc 4%, Elgin Valley

Tasting notes

White peach top notes with fleshy ripe nectarines on the core and crisp green apple acidity fans out the tail on the finish.  A rich, mid-palate of lanoline adds depth and French clone (348) Merlot exudes bright, fresh black plums. Plush purple fruit flavours are supported by a vibrant thread of fresh acidity from the addition of a small splash of Cabernet Franc to harmoniously balance the opulently textured mid-core palate weight.

Philosophy

To create a complex, mouth-filling wine from ripened clusters with purple fruit opulence and restrained tannin structure in cool climate conditions. Optimal vine ripeness and canopy management, in particular, are key to producing seamless Merlot that is perfectly suited to the Elgin Valley. 

Vineyards

Vines grown on deep Tukulu soils (a mixture of sandstone, gravels and clay) on a drought-resistant rootstock, as Merlot is particularly heat-sensitive, are trellised on a five-wire fence system facing east. French clone 348 best suits this relatively warm site as it produces wines of elegance, bright purple fruit and purity. Cabernet Franc is from a warmer slope in the cool Elgin Valley and is grown on a shallow gravel top layer with clay underlying. Stringent canopy management is implemented, as the vigour of crop and leaf canopy is very high. Clusters are hand-picked towards the end of March in small batches of 18kg. 

Winemaking

Clusters were de-stemmed and partially crushed after stringent sorting to remove unwanted berries and other matter. Spontaneous fermentation occurs in small fermentation vats for after about fourteen days and once primary fermentation is completed, the mash is pressed in a small basket press. The wine is then decanted to small French oak casks for secondary Malo-lactic fermentation and left to mature for 12 months. The final barrel selection is made and taken through a very light filtration prior to bottling. No finings are applied to ensure that the natural integrity and structure of the resultant wine is maintained. 

Analysis

• Alcohol: 13.93% 
• Acidity: 5.30 g/l
• pH: 3.56
• Residual Sugar: 3.0 g/l
• Total Extract: 30.0g/l  

Recommended food pairing

The best cut of Beef, robust country pasta, char-grilled meat and hearty casseroles. 

Recommended bottle maturation

In its youth, broad and bright purple fruit is forward and over time will evolve to stewed prunes, blonde tobacco and hazelnuts with seamless, mellowed tannins on the finish. Wine should mature for 8 to 10 years under optimal cellar conditions. 

Accolades:

90 points Tim Atkin Report,  4* John Platter Guide