Description
Thelema Merlot 2022 is a Stellenbosch red that leans into the variety’s more generous, polished side, with ripe dark fruit, measured oak, and a texture that makes it immediately appealing. It is a Merlot built for drinkability, but not at the expense of structure, showing enough shape and depth to feel serious while remaining easy to enjoy in its youth. For drinkers who want a balanced red with softness, fruit clarity, and subtle cellar influence, this is a very solid example.
On the palate, ripe plum and dark cherry take the lead, backed by gentle oak spice that adds warmth without dominating the fruit. The tannins are fine and well integrated, giving the wine a smooth, structured feel and carrying it into a clean, steady finish. It is already approachable, but there is enough substance here to reward short- to mid-term aging. At the table, it would pair especially well with roast chicken, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, or grilled lamb, where its fruit and supple structure can settle naturally into the meal.
Balanced and expressive now, this is a Merlot that offers immediate enjoyment while still leaving room for further development in bottle.
On the palate, ripe plum and dark cherry take the lead, backed by gentle oak spice that adds warmth without dominating the fruit. The tannins are fine and well integrated, giving the wine a smooth, structured feel and carrying it into a clean, steady finish. It is already approachable, but there is enough substance here to reward short- to mid-term aging. At the table, it would pair especially well with roast chicken, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, or grilled lamb, where its fruit and supple structure can settle naturally into the meal.
Balanced and expressive now, this is a Merlot that offers immediate enjoyment while still leaving room for further development in bottle.
In the cellar
The grapes were gently destemmed, retaining as many whole berries as possible, before passing over an additional vibrating table to remove all MOG (matter other than grapes), after which a displacement pump takes the fruit to its fermentation tank. The tanks are then inoculated with a specific commercial yeast strain, this way insuring the development of the perfect flavor profile.
The grapes were gently de-stemmed with an emphasis on retaining as many whole berries as possible, then passed over a vibrating sorting table to remove matter other than grapes before being transferred by displacement pump to the fermentation tanks. Fermentation took place in stainless steel using a selected commercial yeast strain, with a combination of aerative pump-overs and punch-downs used to optimize color, tannin, and flavor extraction. After fermentation, the wine was drained off the skins and moved to tank before being transferred to barrel, where malolactic fermentation took place.
Winemaker: Gyles Webb and Rudi Schultz
The grapes were gently de-stemmed with an emphasis on retaining as many whole berries as possible, then passed over a vibrating sorting table to remove matter other than grapes before being transferred by displacement pump to the fermentation tanks. Fermentation took place in stainless steel using a selected commercial yeast strain, with a combination of aerative pump-overs and punch-downs used to optimize color, tannin, and flavor extraction. After fermentation, the wine was drained off the skins and moved to tank before being transferred to barrel, where malolactic fermentation took place.
Winemaker: Gyles Webb and Rudi Schultz
About the Winery
Thelema, situated on the spectacular Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, is a family owned and managed wine estate and the home of Thelema and Sutherland Vineyards wines. Gyles Webb bought Thelema, a charming dilapidated fruit farm, in 1983 with the help of his wife’s family. Fruit orchards were pulled out and vines were planted. The manor house was restored and the first wines under the Thelema label were released in 1988. The ripe pure-fruited wines were a revelation to many and it wasn’t long before the romantic tale of a run-down old fruit farm became the success story of an avant-garde winery. By the mid 90's Thelema’s wines sold out within a month after release, making it one of the most sought-after wine estates in South Africa. The high altitude and the deep red soils are ideal for premium quality wine grape production.
"We do not buy in any grapes and all wines are bottled on the estate to maintain absolute control over every aspect of the wine production. The terroir in combination with Gyles Webb’s wine making style result in flavorful, flamboyant, complex and long-lasting wines with a distinctive South African character. In 2000, Gyles moved into the role of cellar master and handed over the winemaking duties to the talented Rudi Schultz (one of the famous Schultz winemaking brothers). We hope you enjoy our wines and it would be a pleasure to welcome you at Thelema for a chat and a taste of our latest release."
"We do not buy in any grapes and all wines are bottled on the estate to maintain absolute control over every aspect of the wine production. The terroir in combination with Gyles Webb’s wine making style result in flavorful, flamboyant, complex and long-lasting wines with a distinctive South African character. In 2000, Gyles moved into the role of cellar master and handed over the winemaking duties to the talented Rudi Schultz (one of the famous Schultz winemaking brothers). We hope you enjoy our wines and it would be a pleasure to welcome you at Thelema for a chat and a taste of our latest release."
