Meerlust Rubicon
| Vintage: | 2015 |
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| Description: | 97+ pts Greg Sherwood Mw 4 ½ Stars 2019 Platter's South African Wine Guide Cab based flagship – 61% in 15 (93 pts) – with merlot, cab franc & petit verdot. The finest, most elegant of the reds, refined & intense, full of subtle flavour, with cigarbox overtones & classic dry herbal element. Tannin & acid fully involved in the whole, promising harmony. 14.1% alcohol, 66% new oak. 92 pts Vinous Aug 2018 The 2015 Rubicon had been a source of contention prior to my visit, hailed by some respected commentators as one of the Cape's greats and then almost pilloried in a contemporaneous blind tasting. It is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, each fermented separately before blending. It was matured for 18 months in 66% new oak and the remainder second-fill. So what do I make of the wine? It is clear in color with quite a deep core. The bouquet is refined and focused, offering attractive mint- and graphite-infused black and red fruit and perhaps leaning a little more toward the latter compared to previous vintages. With aeration, subtle touches of pencil shavings emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and quite velvety in texture, displaying very well integrated new oak. There is a satisfying sense of harmony to this Rubicon and it is certainly well constructed, but it does not possess that peacock's tail on the finish that takes a very good wine to the level of great. Perfectly enjoyable, and it demonstrates very good winemaking; however, when compared to, say, the 2015 Paul Sauer, it just falls a little short. [i tasted this sighted and then in a mini blind tasting to confirm. |
| Price: | $ 36.99 |
| Price in original currency: | None |
Available from Southern Hemisphere Wine Center
| Address: |
5973 Engineer Drive Huntington Beach, CA 92649 United States |
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| Telephone (toll-free): | 800-504-9463 |
| Telephone (regular): | 714-892-3030 |
| Fax: | 714-892-6930 |
First added to 1000 Corks on January 19, 2019.
