Plums and fruitcake, generous and smooth and concentrated.

Merlot-based, this wine has great structure with mouth-filling spicy fruit and fine length. Lovely plummy fruit is backed by fine tannins and the added nuance of Cabernet Franc.

Named after a former owner of Rustenberg, John Xavier Merriman, who bought the farm in 1892 in sympathy with farmers suffering from the phylloxera crisis.

The red clay and rich soils bring softer and plush elegant fruit to the aromatics. They also create tannins which are richer softer and sweeter to the other reds from the Waterford Estate. This blend consists of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec.