This Merlot pays homage to Gondolier, one of the most renowned thoroughbred racehorses bred at Excelsior. Six months after receiving extensive physiotherapy on an injury to his hind leg that had left him completely lame, Gondolier won the 1985 Durban July, South Africa’s most prestigious horse race. Today Gondolier is regarded as one of the legends of South African horse racing.

This Merlot comes from vines planted on calcareous soils and represents the best Merlot produced on Excelsior. The vines are 10 years old and fully mature, thus providing us with grapes of concentration and complexity.

The 2018 vintage was well known as the drought vintage in the Western Cape. The Robertson region was no different and Excelsior only had 50% of the normal irrigation water available. Fortunately, near perfect growing conditions were experienced. The days were warm and dry and cool night were experienced throughout the growing season resulting in a very healthy crop of very good quality. Some cultivars did experience the worst frost damage in 30 years, but this influenced quantity over quality. The grapes were hand harvested at 25 degrees Balling, and then fermented for 6 days on the skins. The wine was aged in 10% new oak barrels for a period of 12 months.

The Robertson Wine Valley has the longest unbroken lineage of winemaking and grape-growing families in the country. The De Wet family, producing wine over five generations, embodies this heritage, with South Africa being the oldest ‘New World’ wine-producing country in the world. Wine has been made on Excelsior Estate for 170 years. It is now the most important crop on the farm, with Excelsior exporting wine to over 20 countries. The farm has 220ha (550 acres) planted with noble cultivars such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also small plantings of blending cultivars like Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Viognier. The aim is to produce full-bodied wines that display intense fruit. They achieve this by using strict vineyard practices to ensure a healthy, well-ripened crop. The grapes are harvested by hand, allowing greater quality control and optimal ripeness. Low-yielding vines produce very concentrated fruit, resulting in fresh and zesty whites and deep-coloured intense reds. The weather is moderate, with hot days and cool oceanic breezes in the afternoons and evenings. These temperature fluctuations provide very healthy ‘veraison’ (colour change and even ripening). Additionally, they cultivate 45ha (110 acres) of citrus, with 21ha (50 acres) dedicated to an empowerment project for their 80 employees, all of whom live on the estate. As winemaking pioneers in the region, we have introduced innovative practices such as drip irrigation to the South African wine industry. Furthermore, they are 50% solar powered, which is uncommon in the wine industry.

Biltong with basil pesto on bruschetta.