4 ½ Stars 2026 John Platter’s South African Wine Guide Perennially impressive, 22 (94 pts) continues set style with controlled power, sleek elegance & presence. Distinctive & varietally expressive, showing leafy vibrancy, cocoa, earthy minerality & succulent black cherry fruit. Same serious 40% new oak as previous.94 pts Tim Atkin MW 2025 Meerlust’s much-improved Merlot uses raw material from a variety of parcels, most of them planted on Greywacke soils in flatter, lower-lying sites. Polished, refreshing and textured, it has cassis, paprika and red cherry flavours, fine-grained tannins, scented 35% new oak and a herbal, well-balanced finish. 2026-3290 pts Wine Advocate Feb 2026 The Meerlust 2022 Stellenbosch Merlot Estate, bottled under the estate’s gold label, is richly textured and full-bodied, offering black cherry, softly toasted spice and lingering succulence. The style is assured and consistent, favoring savory depth, with layers of weight and power carried through the palate. Merlot from Stellenbosch’s granite-based soils often leans toward structure and savory complexity, shaping the wine’s muscular character. 2026-2035
