Food & Home Entertaining

What to drink, when, where & how...

BYMALU LAMBERT

your

RAISEglass

“

If ever there were a red

answer to chardonnay,

merlot is it,” said the

famed British wine critic,

Jancis Robinson. Much

like chardonnay, wine

lovers are drawn to

merlot for its round, soft

mouthfeel and velvety texture. It’s one

of the most widely planted grapes in

the world, and is often blended with

cabernet sauvignon, most famously in

the case of a Bordeaux blend.

One of the grape’s most appealing

aspects – due to its thin skin – is its

smooth tannins. This attribute is also

what puts the wine firmly in the easy-

drinking camp. Offering fruit-driven

flavours, expect red and dark berries,

cherries, plums and (when there has

been some oak as well as some age)

mocha, chocolate and cloves. Because

of this friendly flavour profile, merlot is

your go-to cultivar if you can’t help but

snack on chocolate with a glass of wine.

We know it’s hard to resist sneaking into

the kids’ sweetie hauls, so, here are

some wines to help you navigate the

chocolate storm this Easter.

SMOOTH

operator

OLDENBURG VINEYARDS MERLOT 2015, R180

Aromas of luscious berries and cut plums are

underpinned by notes of oak spice. The tumble

of berries leads to a juicy, bright blackcurrant

core edged with clove and dark chocolate. Rich

but fresh and super-smooth, too.

FLEUR DU CAP SERIES PRIVÉE

MERLOT 2015, R169

Succulent and layered, this plush wine was

matured for 18 months in French and

American oak barrels. Red and black

cherries, plums and blackcurrants all come

out to play against a backdrop of oak that

layers brush strokes of vanilla and chocolate

along the seam, balanced by a fresh acidity.

32 APRIL 2019