1998 Meerlust Rubicon

Community Tasting Notes (23) Avg Score: 90.4 points

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  10/14/2022 - Guido L. wrote: 91 Points

  Similar to my previous comment. Nice, but not special.

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  6/22/2022 - Guido L. wrote: 91 Points

  Compared to other South African wines from 1998 like Kanonkop Paul Sauer or Vergelegen Red Flagship, the Rubicon is a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, this is still a high quality wine, but it should be enjoyed now. Smooth tannins, black cherries, black currants, some smoke, wet earth and green notes. Pretty dry in the finish with medium body.

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  12/13/2021 - khybner Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Have had 12 bottles over the years, this is the second last. It is starting to get old. Still enjoyable but I recommend consuming any bottles you have.

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  12/26/2019 - CBRwineguy wrote:

  Decanted for two hours.
  
  The appearance is clear and medium garnet in colour. Tears and sediment are visible.
  
  The nose is clean. The aromas have a medium intensity and show notes of fruit development (dried blackcurrant, cooked black cherry), bottle-age characters (smoke), and herbaceous characters (subtle green capsicum). Swirling reveals additional notes of oak (nutmeg), bottle-age characters (old leather, wet earth, subtle braised beef), and herbaceous characters (tomato leaf). The wine is fully developed.
  
  On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+) acidity, high alcohol, and medium body. The medium level tannins are velvety in nature. The flavours have a medium intensity and show notes of fruit development (dried blackcurrant, cooked black cherry, subtle cooked black plum), herbaceous characters (green capsicum), oak (nutmeg, cinnamon), and bottle-age characters (old leather, braised beef, wet earth). The finish has a medium length.
  
  This is a very good quality wine. The flavours have a good balance with the acidity, and a reasonable balance with the alcohol. Warmth from the alcohol shows on the palate (a wine of higher quality would better mask the alcohol). The tannins are enjoyable, but have likely moderated over time to settle at the current level. The tannins have a good balance with the acidity. The flavours show reasonable concentration (a wine of higher quality would show more concentration and a longer length). In its current state, the wine has some complexity showing primary, secondary, and tertiary characteristics (a wine of higher quality would show more complexity). The primary fruit has evolved into their tertiary counterparts in an enjoyable manner. This developed black fruit forms the central core of this wine and is complemented by bottle-age characters and well-integrated oak. Despite the age of this wine, it still clearly demonstrates the characteristics of the blended grape varieties.
  
  The wine drinks well now, but is not suitable for further ageing. The wine is fully developed and unlikely to improve with additional ageing.

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  7/19/2019 - khybner Likes this wine: 95 Points

  The Meerlust is one the best wines I have had and certainly of you consider the (low) price.
  
  This 1998 still has a number of years ahead of it, no sign of getting over the top like the 94 and 95.

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View all 23 Community Tasting Notes

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