Anthonij Rupert Protea Merlot 2021

Warm and friendly on the nose with pleasant fruitcake, black berries, light spice and oak aromas as well as dark chocolate too. That same unfussy, engaging charm is found in the silky smooth and rounded entry. Ample appeal with tasty red and black fruit notes: plum, mulberry and soft Agen prune, Christmas cake and gentle spice highlights round out the palate. A wine that is as comfortable as a favourite pair of slippers ... but there is a good frame to support the fruit, with seamless integration of oak and tannin and balanced, succulent ripeness. There is a deeper, dark chocolate and cocoa nuance which elevates the wine from the mundane. Equally impressive is the length of flavour.