Meerlust
Merlot, Rubicon Collection 2000, 2001, 2004
South African Wines
About the SessionThe South African session brings together a selection of the Cape’s most historic and celebrated wines, spanning decades of winemaking heritage. From Kanonkop, Meerlust and Rustenberg to Klein Constantia and Thelema, the collection showcases landmark Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux-style blends and the iconic Vin de Constance, offering collectors a rare opportunity to explore some of South Africa’s most enduring and influential wines across multiple vintages.
LOT 83
Meerlust
Merlot, Rubicon Collection 2000, 2001, 2004
About this Item
Meerlust Merlot 2004
Meerlust Rubicon 2000
Meerlust Rubicon 2001
Few Cape estates carry the history of Meerlust, farmed by the Myburgh family for eight generations on the cool, maritime flats near False Bay in Stellenbosch. This lot gathers the estate’s two landmark reds across the turn of the millennium. Rubicon, first made in 1980, was South Africa’s pioneering Bordeaux-style blend and remains one of its most collectible, offered here in both the 2000 and 2001. Beside them stands the 2004 Merlot, an example of the variety Meerlust helped establish at the Cape. Together they form a vertical of a benchmark estate, and a chance to own a piece of modern Cape history.
Provenance
Single-Owner Private Collection
Critics Ratings
Meerlust Rubicon 2000
"Deep purple ink colour. A spicy tobacco leaf and cigar box bouquet. Firm tannins, youthful palate. The wine is well-balanced and has good ageing potential." - International Wine & Spirit Competition, Best in Class (Silver), 2005
Meerlust Rubicon 2001
"Open forest-floor and milk-chocolate aromas with bright black fruit and friable but firm tannins. The fruit is evolving beautifully – just at the right stage of ripeness, with no decrepitude." - Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17.5/20 (Nov 2018)
"The 2001 Rubicon has a well-defined bouquet with red berries, potpourri, less of the black olive, but touches of rose petal coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, fresh acidity, lightly spiced with a gorgeous, quite exotic and slightly candied finish. Really quite delicious and with plenty of vigour, it means it has many years of pleasure to give. Tasted at the Meerlust tasting at Berry Brothers & Rudd in London." - Neal Martin, Vinous, 93/100 (Aug 2025)
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