ON THE NOSE:
A very nice old-world style blend of aromas that contains fruit, vegetables and other odd funk. A touch of diesel fuel is present, as are hints of vanilla and cream. Green peppers are here, so common, it seems, in these South African reds. This is a really, really nice nose which is at once classically enjoyable while simultaneously remaining intriguing and contemplative. This nose really almost IS like taking a good old-world Bordeaux and mixing it with an Australian fruit-bomb Shiraz.
In the undertow there is a burp with extant bad-breath, and this, I believe, is from the Petit Verdot; this is not a bad thing, or not as bad as it sounds, at least.
ON THE PALATE:
After a powerful and sour attack this South African blend hits the roof of the mouth with an equally powerful and sour acidity. The structure is never quite balanced, however, by any underpinning of tannic audacity, which I think makes this an under-90-pointer. Darcey, however, claims that “this wine has a good grip!” When I ask her to taste again she changes her tune only slightly by saying “it’s decent enough.” Well, I try and try but I only obtain tannic evidence in the upper part of my palate, and if I take in some air in as I hold the elixir in my mouth (a habit by now with us) I can feel it in my upper gums, but curiously it never settles in the lower gums or anywhere in the floor of the mouth.
Structure, of course, is not all there is to a wine, though if it is imbalanced it certainly detracts from the overall experience. As mentioned earlier the nose, we believe, is wonderful, but the palate does not reflect all of these wonders, and this is a letdown. The fruit is a blend of blackberry, strawberry, and the ubiquitous cherry – sour cherry in this case. The acidity is perhaps less potent than the sourness brought on by the fruit; we have not consumed all that much South African wine, but the terroir must be playing a definite role here in these flavors, reminding us of Chilean Merlot, arguably more elegant, less strident, yet similar, to be sure. Some of the cream and vanilla comes through on the palate, but too late in the game, too high up in the profile, and not enough to beckon one back for more and more and more.
All that being said it is evident that this is no cheap blend either, just perhaps not my cup of tea this very day. Darcey, again, likes the offering more than I, and since she loves and cherishes me I cannot disparage her tastes, and I usually defer to her discriminating palate when deciding what to buy, or more often, what NOT to buy. I agree that there is a sense of quality here, or, to put it another way, one can tell that this is not cheap wine. At $30 I expect something nice, and though this is a decent wine it falls short on its complexity in the mouth, especially on the heels of such a fine bouquet.
At the conclusion of a full evening imbibing this wine we find it does not ultimately pass muster, and Darcey finally agrees that this effort is a major pass as well, especially given the money paid. Sometimes I think people take money into consideration a little too much when reviewing wines. Although I feel it is good to include the price in the review to speak to the QPR, all wines should stand on their own without regard to overall price; I admit I do not always do this as well as I want to. I have seen reviews of this wine, however, that are more adulatory than the wine I tasted deserves. It always makes me wonder! Did they consider the $30 when tasting? I would like to see how this wine would fare in a double-blind tasting – I ‘m sure there would be no scores above 90 points (IMHO, of course). Don’t bother with this South African offering, that’s our advice. Eat well and drink better.
(Click here for an explanation of our ratings ...)
Our Rating: 86
Would we drink it again? 
No, it did relatively little for us; we would have preferred an $8 Navarrita Merlot!
Would we buy it again?
Never!
Winemaker's notes
A great vintage following the excellent 2003. There is more restraint in this vintage and the wine is very complex all around. Typical Rustenberg aromas of cellar spices, dark cherries & fynbos. The palate is richly layered with fruit tannin and well-balanced.
Wine Enthusiast Review
(Interesting compared to what we found with this bottle! What are they drinking/thinking?)
93 Points: "John X. Merriman purchased part of the Rustenberg farm in 1892 (it was subsequently bought by the current owners, the Barlow family, in 1940) and this Cabernet-dominated blend is named after him. As with all Rustenberg wines, this is a fine, structured bottling that’s more than New World. Offers smoky fruit, a mineral character, and dry tannins. This has potential to age for at least five years."
-Wine Enthusiast
About the Stellenbosch, South Africa Wine Region
Stellenbosch holds the honour of being the most well-known town in South Africa. History, culture, natural beauty, sport, education and wine has made the name “Stellenbosch” resonate around the globe as one of South Africa’s premier tourist, wine, business and education attractions.
The recorded history of Stellenbosch dates back to 1679 when this name was given to a small island on the Eerste River by Simon van der Stel, the then governor of the Cape. It can, however, be assumed that prior to its official naming, the Stellenbosch surrounds were home to various indigenous communities.
The Eerste River, which today still ripples through Stellenbosch, was so named as this happened to be the First (‘Eerste’) river the Dutch settlers came upon after leaving their Cape Town base.
After its discovery, Stellenbosch was quickly identified as an area in which to settle, with great potential for agriculture. The surrounding areas proved rich in soil and correct climate for producing vegetables to sustain the ships passing by the Cape of Good Hope en route to the other Dutch colonies in the East. Add to this the thirst of the Dutch and other settlers that necessitated the making good wine, Stellenbosch soon saw its hills and valleys also planted to vines along with other agricultural crops.
That skilled vintners were sent to the area and the vines bore wonderful fruit is proven in the fact that, to this day, Stellenbosch remains world-renowned for the quality of its wines, with the vine being by far the region’s most prominent agricultural feature.
With the rich agricultural pickings, the early settlers soon established a bustling town. The earliest building in the Stellenbosch area dates back to 1689 and can still be viewed on the historic wine farm of Muratie. In the town itself, solid, white-plastered buildings arose and the streets were planted with oak trees, giving it the name Eikestad (Town of Oaks), which is still used to describe the town today.
Besides its rapid growth in becoming a centre for the flourishing wine industry, the foundations for Stellenbosch’s heritage as an educational centre were laid in 1859 when a theological seminary was established. In 1918 a university was founded, and to this day the University of Stellenbosch remains an internationally recognized education centre and one of the leading universities on the African continent. It is also one of two learning centres in South Africa that trains fledgling wine makers – the other being the Elsenburg Educational College outside Stellenbosch.
Although Stellenbosch has seen rapid residential and commercial growth over the past few decades, the heart of the town still resonates with an historical atmosphere and cultural allure. The buildings reflect over three centuries of occupation, including Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture. A myriad of museums and places of interest are found along the oak-lined streets. And the crests of the dramatically rising mountains that encircle the town – namely the Stellenbosch, Jonkershoek and Simonsberg mountains – are always visible.
Besides its status as a leading cultural, education and leisure destination, it is wine that has made – and continues to make – Stellenbosch famous.
A variety of soils and locations ideally suited to flourishing of a wide variety of grape cultivars, has seen Stellenbosch continue to dominate the South African wine scene in terms of quality. With the growing acceptance of South African wines globally, Stellenbosch remains at the forefront of growth in the wine industry.
The region’s potential for producing quality of the wines and as a tourism hub has seen investors from as far a field as France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and America staking their claim in the Stellenbosch winelands.
In 1971 Stellenbosch became the first wine region in South Africa to establish a wine route as an organised network of wineries at which the tourist could experience the product of the vine and tune into the soul of the region’s winelands. The Stellenbosch Wine Route turned a new leaf in 2002 with the founding of the Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes. With the sponsorship of American Express® and South African Airways, the Stellenbosch Wine Routes provide a co-ordinated network of more than 130 wineries, each offering a unique cellar-door experience for the wine-lover and tourist.
