Plaisir de Merle, Malbec 2015, Paarl, South Africa

Tasting Note: South Africa produces malbec for its Bordeaux-styled blends, and this wine offers the rare opportunity to taste the grape isolated as a single varietal.

Deep-intensity purple in color, this wine has an aromatic nose of violet, raspberry, black plum and blueberry.

On the palate the dry, medium-plus boded malbec concentration, but lacks midpalate complexity.

The wine is medium-plus in tannin which adds some bite.

Bottle Note: This lively, bright ruby wine spent 16 months in French oak which lent an intense spiciness, enhancing the sweet red berry fruit. Sweet vanilla oak flavors and a richly textured mouthfeel complement a ripe tannin structure.