Growing fine wines on the Meerlust Estate has been part of the Myburgh family tradition for eight generations, beginning in 1756. Long recognized for producing world-class wines, the Meerlust Estate is singularly rich in charm and history. A tour of the estate, situated fifteen kilometers south of Stellenbosch, reveals its graceful manor house, classical wine cellar, rose gardens, family cemetery, dovecote and bird sanctuary. The first owner of the property, a German immigrant named Henning Huising, recognized the beauty and potential of the farm and settled here in 1693. He named his new-found home "Meerlust", meaning "pleasure of the sea", as the manor house sits on a granite outcrop only 5 km from False Bay, and in the warm summer months the vineyards are refreshed by ocean breezes and evening mists which roll in from the coast. Visitors to the Estate - a National Monument - have for centuries anticipated seeing the cool, white façade of the Manor House as they passed through the gates and along the palm and oak tree-lined drive. Not much has changed. Today, that sense of having arrived at a most treasured home and estate is enhanced by the knowledge - on seeing the sweep of vineyards that flank the drive - that here grow the grapes of the prized Meerlust wines.
Meerlust Chardonnay 2023
13% abv
Very bright, polished platinum with green, vivacious hue. Complex, appealing nose with pear, citrus and floral notes developing into lemon cream, oatmeal and marzipan richness. On the palate the wine is medium bodied and linear but retains generous focused citrus fruit flavours with sleek, balanced and crisp acidity. The wine remains vivacious and fresh on the finish with clean citrus fruit and stony minerality. The wine has a long, very pleasant lingering finish.
A true expression of the Meerlust estate and illustrates the unique climate and soil of the farm. The wine draws fruit from blocks located on two of their four distinctive terroirs namely –
Compagniesdrift – The soils from this warm north facing slope are predominantly formed from weathered granite. The wines originating from this granitic hilltop are expressive and bold in structure, mainly due to the coarse gravelly texture and sufficient soil depth to promote long and even ripening. The blocks are situated on the highest part of the estate and benefit from cool nights and a prevailing sea breeze that passes over the blocks in the afternoon.
Quarry – The extremely rocky terrain consisting of greywacke with interbedded shales provides a unique substrate for vines. Shallow rooted vines on this cool and windswept foot slope leads to wines with characteristic citrus fruit with exceptional length, detail, and precision.
In The Cellar
Picking of grapes were done by a team of experienced pickers ensuring optimal selection of fruit. After pressing, juice was settled overnight and racked with some fine solids to barrel where fermentation takes place.
A mix of 30% new, 33% second fill 300lt and 32% third fill barrels are used, and this vintage sees the first introduction of 5% fermented in concrete tank. Fermentation is either with selected yeast or through natural spontaneous fermentation. The wine is matured until it reaches the desired mouth feel and complexity. After removing the wine from barrel, it undergoes a light fining before bottling.
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2023 | Africa | Chardonnay | Duty Paid | Meerlust | South Africa | Stellenbosch | Still | White | Wine- Reference #:
- 21949
- Strength
- 13 ABV
- Bottles per Case
- 6 bottles
- Grapes
- Chardonnay
- Organic
- No
- Biodynamic
- No
- Vegan
- No
- Vegetarian
- No
- Sparkling
- No

