Bright and vivid nose with strawberries, dried raspberries, cherry blossoms and a light, spicy undertone. Medium-bodied, round-textured and lengthy with lots of energy and a crisp, mineral backbone. Round and textural finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.

Meerlust’s estate sits in the southwestern corner of Stellenbosch, open to the winds off of False Bay. This wine is dominated by its toasty oak when first opened, in need of at least a day of air to integrate all that richness and bring forward a delicate, pale florality nestled in a green-apple-skin tannic bite. It lasts beautifully—open it the day before a dinner party and track its evolution a splash at a time until the guests arrive.

“Tasted from magnum, the 2013 Cristal Rosé is ravishing. Dense, creamy and powerful, the 2013 captures all the qualities of the vintage, specifically the interplay of rich fruit from the warm summer and cooler inflections from a year that started late and ended late with a rare October harvest. Today, the 2013 is deep and beautifully seamless, but it is also young – far too young to be at its best. Dosage is 6.5 grams per liter, a bit less than for the standard bottlings, a decision taken to balance longer aging on the lees and a bit more residual sugar that is always left in the magnums after fermentation. Readers who can find the 2013 in magnum will experience one of the greatest thrills in wine.”

A fresh, red-fruited rosé with sliced strawberries, pink nectarines, fresh flowers and citrus peel undertones. Crunchy and zesty on the palate with a medium body and saltine notes. Flavorful and vivid. Drink now.

This is a delicate and balanced rosé with subtle notes of peaches and wild strawberries and touches of seashells, crushed stone and dried Mediterranean herbs. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished, with freshness and excellent poise. Classy, elegant, pristine and almost weightless, yet it holds a lot of depth and mineral complexity that unveils toward its long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.