Durbanville Hills showcased a whole new view on Merlot and took us on an experimental taste journey that included canapés, their different styles of Merlot, a two-course wine-paired lunch at their Tangram restaurant.
Merlot originates from the world-famous region of Bordeaux, France and it derived its name from the French word Merlau, meaning blackbird. Over time this changed into Merle. Another fun fact, it’s the second-most planted grape in the world next to Cabernet Sauvignon.
A refreshing Merlot Rosé cocktail was the perfect start to the day to welcome summer and the best rosé cocktails are the ones that brings out the amazing fruity nuances of the Merlot, topped with ice and garnished with a sprig of dill.
Durbanville Hills Merlot Rosé 2022
Coral pink in colour and is made from Merlot grapes. No skin contact and only the free-run juice was drained to the settling tank, hence the reason for the beautiful colour in the glass.
Inviting cranberries, strawberries and rose petal aromas. It’s an elegant wine with mixed berries and turkish delight with a lingering, crisp acidity. Although this rosé is dry in style, there is a slight sweetness that comes from the purity of the fruit due to the grapes being picked ripe.
The canapé paired with this Durbanville Hills Merlot Rosé 2022 was a delicious skewer of various elements to enhance the different components in the wine. The strawberry picks up the red fruit and strawberry flavours of the wines, the soft cheese complemented the wine and Merlot in general and the the sweetness and acidity of the wine cuts through the rich and salty flavours of the meat and olive.
Nice to enjoy chilled and perfect for summer. This is a picnic wine that can be enjoyed anywhere anytime on its own or with food.
Durbanville Hills Merlot 2020
Table Bay and False Bay contribute to the area’s cooling influence, making the Durbanville ward a cool-climate region. This means slow ripening that concentrates flavours and assures phenolic and tannin ripeness.
This Durbanville Hills Merlot is made in an easy-drinking style. Aged in stainless steel tanks making use of good quality french oak staves. Red and black fruit aromas are present on the nose after being aged in the french oak for a year. The wood component does not interfere too much, so this is easy to enjoy whilst out and about in the Kruger.
This wine pairs well with lamb chops on the braai and is a great choice for camping outings. The canapé paired was a delicious Lamb Kofta with a hint of rosemary.
This is referred to as the lady of red wines in winemaking lingo. It often adds elegance to blends as it has a soft tannin structure with inviting upfront fruit.
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Lighthouse Merlot 2019
Like a lighthouse, Merlot likes to be close to the ocean. This range has been designed as a collector’s item for both wine and art lovers alike.
Block selection was made based on vineyard history linked to wine style and quality, with the specific desired characteristics of the wine in mind. The block is fairly big so they make use of a program “Fruitlook”, using multispectral satellite imagery to identify differences in the vineyard canopy and asses the quality to find the best spots. Matured in 2nd and 3rd fill barrels for at least 12-14 months.
A medium- to full-bodied wine with flavours of freshly picked, juicy dark cherries and ripe red-fleshed plums. The juicy fruit driven palate is complimented beautifully by a robust tannin structure, leaving a lingering, balanced and rich aftertaste.
Mushroom based dishes pairs well with this wine. Golden, deep fried mushroom arancini balls was the canapé of choice that paired well with this Merlot. Additionally, this wine gained a gold award from Veritas and a rating of 4 1/2 stars from Platter’s Guide.
The Tangram Restaurant
The restaurant at Durbanville Hills offers the perfect environment from which to escape the hustle and bustle of city-life. The light and contemporary space with a double volume ceiling, wood finishes, earthy tones and South African décor, offers panoramic views of Table Mountain, Table Bay, the rolling hills and vineyards.
The Olive Focaccia with Whipped Merlot and Thyme butter was a real treat. Who doesn’t love bread that is soft and pillowy with a crisp and crunch crust and was enjoyed with a glass of Durbanville Hills Merlot Rosé 2022.
The Tangram Red Blend 2018
The name is derived from a Chinese seven-piece puzzle which can be arranged to make various forms and pictures to tell a story. Just like the Tangram Red Blend it also has its own story to tell with various elements such as earth, wind, fire and water that helps to craft this exclusive Bordeaux-style blend.
This is a Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine with Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc making up the rest of this beautiful blend. After fermentation it was matured in new French Oak barrels for 2 years. The wine was left to mature for a further year in the bottle.
Rich and full-bodied a sweet finesse on the palate. The wine is perfectly balanced in terms of length, tannin structure and depth, ending with a lingering after taste.
It was paired with juicy Pork Belly, Green Fig, Gorgonzola, Polenta and Baby Vegetables or a tender Char-grilled Beef Sirloin, Rosemary Smoked Potato Puree, Red Pepper Piperade, Grilled Baby Marrow and jus.
Durbanville Hills Merlot Potstill Brandy
Produced from cool-climate Merlot grapes, matured for 10 years in French oak, and finished in Durbanville Hills Merlot barrels
Beautiful amber in colour. It presents notes of glazed cherries & dried fruit. From the first sip, savour flavours of raspberries, cherry fruit cake, milky chocolate, vanilla and subtle hints of thyme. The mouthfeel is smooth and full-bodied, supported by a delicate lingering and well-balanced by integrated oak.
Nothing like finishing off a great lunch at Durbanville Hills than with their Potstill Brandy.
It’s all about the location. Wine has been made in the Durbanville area from the end of the 17th century but it wasn’t until the late 1990s when Durbanville Hills Wines was established.
For more info:
info@durbanvillehills.co.za
+27 (0)21 558 1300
Categories: Durbanville Hills
