Groote Post Merlot 1999

Ageing
4 to 5 years

In The Cellar
UK Wine Magazine, August 2000: 87 point ratingThis wine is sold out. All grapes were crushed and destemmed and pumped into a tank where a warm soak took place for 3 days, before inoculation. To correct the pH acid ratio, 0.5g/l tartaric acid was added at the start of the fermentation process. The wine was pumped over 4 times/24 hours and occasionally "racked and returned" with aeration to aid in colour stabilization and extraction. Fermentation lasted 6 days and temperatures peaked at 30ºC. Post fermentation maceration lasted 10 days after which the skins were pressed and underwent malolactic fermentation in the tank. The wine is maturing in 60% new and 40% second fill French oak barrels.