Soft, feminine, plummy, Christmas cake – alluring qualities used to describe the perfect Merlot.
In South Africa we’ve been on a very steep and slow learning curve with regards to the correct terroir and wine-making methods for Merlot – especially considering that Merlot was founded around 1700 in France and our first Merlot in SA was only bottled in 1983.
In this issue, David van Velden, a fourth generation winemaker on Overgaauw Estate, the producer of the very first Merlot, shares with us their incredible knowledge of this noble variety.
For David, discussing – and enjoying – a glass of Overgaauw Merlot is always a humbling experience. “It creates a sense of pride yet causes me to recognise the invaluable roles the three generations before me played in adding value not only to Overgaauw Estate, but to the South African wine industry as a whole. As a result I aspire to produce the best wine the Estate and vintage has to offer to ensure that I don’t wake up any of the past unnecessarily!”
On discovering that the Merlot vines which were planted in 1973 were badly infected with leaf roll virus, Braam van Velden, David’s father, set himself the task of finding healthy virus-free vines. Subsequently after quite a search, a new clone of merlot vines were obtained and planted in 1979.
“This year,” says David, “was also the first vintage of the flagship Overgaauw Tria Corda (Latin for three hearts). As the best components of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc were selected for this blend, the chances are you’ll find a gem in a certain vintage amongst them.”
As my father described, 1982 was just that vintage: “Our first vintage from the new planting was in 1982. The Merlot component was so impressive that we deemed it worthy to be bottled on its own which also prompted us to make the decision to extend the time that it would spend in the small oak barrels to nine months, which was a long time in those days. When the Merlot was bottled in 1983, it was the first single varietal South African Merlot on the market. There were many raised eyebrows, and I remember actually being asked why we were bottling a blending wine on its own.”
The Overgaauw Merlot is still made in its original “Cape European” style. “I spend a lot of time in the vineyard and even more time prior to picking to ensure the grapes arrive at the cellar at optimum ripeness. This is also driven by the passion to reflect the uniqueness of Overgaauw’s terroir in the Merlot cultivar. It is a well-structured, medium bodied wine with a rich combination of sumptuous black cherry fruit, hints of dark chocolate and elegant spicy oak notes from the 18 months spent in French oak barrels.
“The fine but firm tannins are complemented by a mouth-filling fruity and lingering complexity. While this Merlot can be enjoyed now, it invites another seven years in the bottle – at which time it should reveal a pleasant surprise to those with patience,” says David.
The current release of Overgaauw Merlot is 2012. Overgaauw Tria Corda 2011 is sold out and the 2012 will be released by the end of June. Visit www.overgaauw.co.za to ensure you stay posted on new releases and more news on the Overgaauw wine heritage.