Duncan asked this



I have just tasted Rustenberg 2008 John X Merriman at Majestic and immeditaley filled my boots.... Beautiful Bdx like wine at 9.99

I am not aware of Meerlust making Rhone style wines.
The 2005 CS is excellent and the 2005 Rubicon (CS dominated Bdx blnd) is better than the 2006

I have just tasted Rustenberg 2008 John X Merriman at Majestic and immeditaley filled my boots.... Beautiful Bdx like wine at 9.99

Thanks for this Pontac.

Hmnnn - 2/3rd the price of the Meerlust. Is Meerlust half as much better than the John X Rustenberg, and will the Rustenberg improve with more age, is another Question ?

Because semi fine french wines have gone mad, and I'm eeking out my '05s, as I know they will keep; I'm looking to SA for more reds that will mature in a way that I find satisfying. Any other Bdx styles just now in the sub £15 bracket that you rate ?

Also thanks for creating a new thread for SA clarets, I think, and hope that they may be much closer to the style I prefer, I'm tired of overblown & bloated Oz offerings (black reds and all this sort of tosh), and now formulaic Chilean stuff.

The trouble with this formulaic stuff made to satisfy joe public is that it gets boring and bloody dull after a while.

So - Thanks for any further tips

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Duncan

Yep, I note that the Sheep-Attract bumf has moved up a couple of steps. Assuming the real bottom-end to be sorted, the media-ad mob are now targeting the slightly-knowledeable. The latest "Creek" ads are such nonsense.

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Four wheels move the body - 2 wheels move the soul.

That's one way of describing the situation, not that wide of the mark actually, for the marketing.

More importantly, and with regard to some NW wine making, consistency seems to be all about Heinz Baked beans. Too much baked !

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Duncan

Only ever had one vintage of Rustenberg and that was beautiful (2007)
Still got 2 left in the cellar, I would also fill me boots if I came across them in my travels.
A well made wine at a decent price.

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He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

Platter rates both a 4.5 stars. I don't see why the Rustenberg won't age but alos I don't see any point in aging it wehen its drinking beautifully now.

Rubocon has a reputation that may account for its price; it is also an Estate wine which limits the amount that can be produced, and any barrel not considered fgoes elsewhere. Recently they de-classified the entire 2004 vintage, sold as Meerlust Red, and that's rather pleasant.

Seems that was so succesful they've revived it. There's some 2008 Meerlust Red at TWS described as "classically styled cabernet-merlot, this is made from Meerlust's younger vines, spiced up by the addition of a few barrels of declassified Rubicon which adds structure and class" £9.50 to you.