On Friday, October 17, the Algarve Wine Society relished the opportunity to taste six wines from the world renowned South African winery, Meerlust, paired with excellent food prepared by Fabienne and her team at La Villa in Vilamoura.
What made the event extra special was the presence of the Cellar Master of Meerlust, Wim Truter, who was on a short visit to the Algarve, at the invitation of their distributors, Prime Wine in Loulé.
Meerlust is one of the great old Estates of the Cape, situated near Stellenbosch and just five kilometres from the sea. It has been owned by the Myburgh family since 1757. The red-focused range consists of a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and a Bordeaux-style blend, Rubicon, as well as a barrel fermented Chardonnay.
The flagship red, the Rubicon, has established itself as a South African icon and is well renowned throughout the world. It had its maiden vintage in 1980 and was the earliest of the Cape Bordeaux-style blends. The 2022 vintage we tasted was elegant, fresh and refined, yet with a touch of velvet opulence. A real treat!
The wines were excellently paired with a delicious succession of dishes and Wim was on hand to talk about the wines and answer questions.
First up were the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, accompanied by Bang Bang shrimp, Chicken and bacon kebab and sautéed mushrooms. The Chardonnay was a particular favourite and some chose to continue drinking it throughout the meal – it was a hot day!
This was followed by the Meerlust Red, a young blend, which was an excellent accompaniment to a delicious Steak tartare. Then the two stars, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Rubicon to pair with a rich lamb stew. Finally, the Meerlust Merlot and a chocolate crepe brought a wonderful meal to a fine conclusion.
Our members considered themselves lucky indeed to have had the opportunity to taste such a splendid flight of wines and enjoy the presence and knowledge of the cellar master himself. Our thanks go to Wim, to Lídia Ramos from Prime Wine who worked tirelessly throughout and to Fabienne and her team for feeding us so well.
