Meerlust Red
£19.00
£25.33 per litre · incl. 20% VAT
In Stock — 7 bottles available
91Tim Atkin
90Decanter
Meerlust only release a second-label red in years when the fruit doesn't quite make the cut for their flagship Rubicon, and that's exactly what makes this Stellenbosch Bordeaux blend such a clever find. Same four grapes, same legendary estate, softer and more approachable, at a fraction of the price.
Not for sale to persons under 18. Adult signature required on delivery.
Our Verdict
We've poured a lot of Meerlust over the years, and the Red has a special place in our affections. It only appears in vintages where the estate decides Rubicon won't be released, which means you're drinking fruit from one of the Cape's most storied properties, finished in a more immediate, fruit-forward style, for under twenty pounds. That's remarkable value. We'd point newcomers to Meerlust here first: it's the easiest way into the estate's house style, and it drinks beautifully on release. If you fall for it, the Rubicon is the obvious next step.
Tasting Notes
Dark purple in the glass with a youthful violet rim, this opens with cassis and ripe plum, lifted by exotic spice and a quiet floral note that keeps the fruit feeling fresh rather than heavy. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully poised, crushed black fruit threaded with vanilla and dark chocolate from the French oak, framed by silky, well-judged tannins. Fresh acidity gives it shape and drive, and the finish runs long and linear, leaving you reaching for the next sip.
About This Wine
Here's a Stellenbosch secret worth sharing. Meerlust only bottle their second-label Red in vintages where the fruit doesn't quite reach the threshold for Rubicon, their iconic flagship. That doesn't mean the grapes are second-rate, it means they're young, a touch softer, or simply expressing themselves in a way that suits an earlier-drinking style. The result is a wine made with the same four Bordeaux varieties, from the same maritime-cooled vineyards just five kilometres from False Bay, at a price that feels almost too generous. The blend leans on Cabernet Sauvignon for backbone, with Merlot bringing plumpness, Cabernet Franc adding lift and floral perfume, and a splash of Petit Verdot for depth. Seventeen months in French oak rounds everything off without overpowering the fruit. Expect dark purple in the glass, cassis and ripe plum on the nose, with exotic spice and a whisper of violets. The palate is medium-bodied and silky, crushed black fruit, vanilla, a thread of dark chocolate, and tannins so polished you'll find yourself reaching for another glass. This is the kind of bottle that elevates a Sunday roast, rare beef, a slow-braised lamb shoulder, or a venison casserole when the weather turns. It's equally at home with mature Cheddar and a quiet evening. Delivered to your door anywhere in the UK, and a smart gift for anyone who loves serious Stellenbosch reds.
Food Pairing
Built for cooler-weather cooking. A roast haunch of venison with redcurrant jelly is the textbook match, but it's equally happy alongside a slow-cooked beef and ale pot roast on a Sunday afternoon. The silky tannins and fresh acidity also handle a board of mature, nutty cheeses, think aged Comté or a properly ripe Stilton, with surprising grace.
- —Roast haunch of venison with redcurrant jelly
- —Slow-cooked beef and ale pot roast
- —Rack of lamb with thyme and garlic
- —Aged Comté or mature Cheddar with quince paste
- —Pan-seared duck breast with cherry sauce
How to Serve
Decanting
Worth decanting for thirty to sixty minutes. The wine is youthful and tightly wound on opening, a little air coaxes out the floral lift and softens the structure further. A wide-bottomed decanter is ideal.
Ageing & Cellaring
Drinking beautifully on release thanks to its silky tannins and forward fruit, but there's plenty in reserve. Expect it to hold and evolve gracefully for another seven to ten years, with the oak integrating further and tertiary notes of cedar, tobacco and dried herbs developing alongside the fruit.
The Land
The vineyards sit on decomposed granite laced with clay, granite for drainage and mineral tension, clay for the water-holding capacity that carries the vines through the long, dry Cape summers. It's a combination that builds structure without heaviness, giving the Bordeaux varieties the slow, even ripening they need to develop fine tannin and lifted aromatics.
The Winemaking
The four Bordeaux varieties are vinified apart, each plot fermented on its own so the winemaker can read every component before any decisions are made. Malolactic happens in barrel, a mix of new and seasoned French oak, which softens the acidity and starts knitting the wine together while the oak is still fresh. Only then comes the selection and blending, with around seventeen months in cask building that silky, supple texture without smothering the cassis and floral lift.
About the Producer
Meerlust
Meerlust, Dutch for 'pleasure of the sea', has been making wine since 1693, and the Myburgh family have held the estate since 1756. It was Nico Myburgh's visit to Bordeaux in 1967 that changed everything. He recognised the climatic kinship between the Eerste River Valley and the great estates of the Left Bank, and set about planting Cabernet Franc, a first for Stellenbosch. The Rubicon, first released in 1984, became South Africa's pioneering Bordeaux-style blend and remains the estate's flagship, accounting for roughly half of total production. Now in the hands of eighth-generation owner Hannes Myburgh, with winemaker Wim Truter at the helm since 2020, Meerlust continues to balance heritage with quiet evolution. The estate is a declared national monument, a fitting status for a property that helped shape the modern Cape wine landscape.