This is available from The wine society (2005), reduced to £16 per bottle.
I bought mine from Majestic, a recomendation when the wine was 5 years or so younger.

I agree with most of the comments on cellartracker, except the most recent.

A disappointing wine with a fancy gold label. What is wrong . . .

The merlot has gone backwards in 9 years, (they say 15 years cellaring on the back label) no thanks! The allegedly reported Cab Franc element is hidden. Zero mahogany drawer, no cedar. As the wine matures in the glass, more wine gum flavours dominate and assert themselves, spice has gone AWAL, and the oak is so puny that you'd think they used second pass barrels on 15% of the must. Ripe damson plums, one dimensional, medium finish, decent acidity, nose sweet yet fairly benign and new world

Buy the Rubicon with a decent % of cab sauvignon in the mix.

Avoid if over £9.99, it just doesn't cut the mustard, and the wine leans on some other prestige reviews for their Rubicon cuvee'.

Was the Stellenbosch 2006 merlot vintage anything to shout about ?

When I left a drop of wine in the glass for a long time - a dessicated coconut note appears, not European oak. The more of this you consume during the evening the more you dislike the hype. The previous bottle some 2 years ago was better, glad I don't have anymore.
Kumala - anyone

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Duncan

I can't see a Meerlust Merlot on TWS site, but if they do have the 2005 vintage, that was rated higher than the 2006 by Platter on release.

2006 vintage was good in the Cape but Merlot generally hasn't a good reputation as a varietal, and it would be at the bottom of my choices of a red Cape varietal.

Tim James summed up* Merlot in the Cape thus


According to the fact sheet the 2006 Merlot had 14% Cab Franc, just under the limit to allow the wine to be a Merlot varietal.

* http://grape.co.za/2011/04/a-rare-triumphant-merlot/

Thanks for highlighting the position, Pontac. You know these wines, and stellenbosch very well.

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Duncan