Description
Plaisir Merlot 2022 is a Simonsberg-Paarl red that leans into the variety’s more generous and aromatic side, with ripe fruit, floral lift, and a polished oak frame. It is a Merlot built for early appeal, but it also carries enough structure to reward time in bottle. For drinkers who want a red with softness and charm, but not at the expense of depth, this is a very convincing expression.
The nose opens with fragrant red berries, violet, and a touch of mint chocolate, followed by deeper notes of black cherry and plum. On the palate, those darker fruits are layered with vanilla spice, clove, and cedar oak, giving the wine a rounded, supple feel. The tannins are soft and velvety, helping carry the wine through a smooth, composed finish without any harsh edges. It would pair especially well with roast duck, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, or grilled lamb, where its fruit, spice, and softer structure can settle naturally into the meal.
Already accessible, this is a Merlot with enough balance and cellar support to continue maturing gracefully over the next five to ten years.
The nose opens with fragrant red berries, violet, and a touch of mint chocolate, followed by deeper notes of black cherry and plum. On the palate, those darker fruits are layered with vanilla spice, clove, and cedar oak, giving the wine a rounded, supple feel. The tannins are soft and velvety, helping carry the wine through a smooth, composed finish without any harsh edges. It would pair especially well with roast duck, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, or grilled lamb, where its fruit, spice, and softer structure can settle naturally into the meal.
Already accessible, this is a Merlot with enough balance and cellar support to continue maturing gracefully over the next five to ten years.
The grapes were hand-harvested from two Merlot vineyards and destemmed before sorting and transfer to stainless steel tanks. Fermentation took place with daily pump-overs to extract color, tannin, and flavor, while occasional rack-and-return operations helped build depth and structure. After fermentation, the wine spent a further 6 to 8 days on the skins for added maceration.
Malolactic fermentation was completed partly in barrel and partly in tank, after which the wine was transferred to French oak barrels, 35% of them new, for 12 to 16 months of maturation.
Winemaker: Fred Fismer
Malolactic fermentation was completed partly in barrel and partly in tank, after which the wine was transferred to French oak barrels, 35% of them new, for 12 to 16 months of maturation.
Winemaker: Fred Fismer
Plaisir Wine Estate is not only one of the oldest but one of the largest in the Western Cape at 974 hectares with some 230 hectares under vine. The remaining hectares are largely untouched to preserve the indigenous flora and fauna. The diverse terroir of the area is characterized by an interplay of climatic conditions, the slopes have well-drained weathered granite soils making it the perfect environment for exceptional grapes to thrive.
