Porcupine Ridge Merlot 2022

A classic nose shows red plums, cranberry, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg at play with intriguing whiffs of rosemary, thyme & oregano. The wine is lithe and elegant with an exceptionally smooth midpalate and plush, silky texture, showing darker berry fruit flavours with fine grained, supple, integrated tannins and balanced acidity. Subtle hints of mocha and dark milk chocolate linger on a vibrant finish.

Grapes for our Porcupine Ridge Merlot are sourced from the Helderberg area and surrounding Stellenbosch vineyards. Vineyard parcels with balanced yields and particular soils (mainly decomposed “koffieklipˮ) were selected to accentuate the dark berry fruit character, which we strive for in this wine. A cold soak for two days, before controlled fermentation in stainless steel, ensured good extraction and colour stability. We chose specific yeast strains to enhance the fruit flavours of the wine further and opted for gentle winemaking practices to ensure a beautiful, round mouthfeel. Tannin management is vital with Merlot and therefore chose to use old French oak barrels to focus on fruit rather than oak extraction.

The Estate
From the creators of the famous Chocolate Block wine, Boekenhoutskloof was established in 1776. Located in the furthest corner of the beautiful Franschhoek valley, the farm’s name means “ravine of the Boekenhout” (pronounced Book-n-Howed). Boekenhout is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for furniture making.