Middelvlei Rooster Merlot

Middelvlei

Toast Merlot

The estate covers 160 ha, of which 130 are planted with Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay . The Pinotage vines are grown as bush vines, severely pruned in winter, while the rest of the varieties are pruned to keep the grapes cool.

Under the watchful eye of the Momberg, the mature vineyards are kept in top condition, while new plantings are carefully chosen to match the terroir. The body and spine contributed by the mature vines are complemented by fresh fruitiness from more recent plantings.

The dominant soil types on Middelvlei are Hutton and Clovelly - particularly moisture-retentive in nature, obviating the need for irrigation.

As an estate, all Middelvlei wines are made from their own grapes. And it's in the vineyards where the transition to making more fruit-driven wines first began. Middelvlei has adapted viticultural practices to limit yields, improve fruit richness and intensity, and achieve greater parity of physiological and phenolic ripeness.

A replanting program is currently underway, renewing the 130 hectares of vines at an annual rate of 10 hectares. New plantings include more Sauvignon Blanc , Pinotage and Shiraz.