Meerlust Red 1985

Inspired by a holiday to the Bordeaux wine region in 1967, Nico Myburgh returned to his farm in the Eerste River Valley in Stellenbosch determined to craft a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend to rival the best he’d tasted in France.

Nico added Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines to his existing plots of Cabernet Sauvignon and, after several years of trials, errors, and difficult harvests, he unveiled the first Meerlust ‘Rubicon’ to the world in 1980. 

‘Rubicon’ not only pioneered the viability of Bordeaux blends across the Western Cape (a region previously wedded to single-varietal wines), but also demonstrated South Africa’s capabilities as a serious fine wine region. 

While its constituent parts have changed very little over the last 50 years (since 2008, a touch of Petit Verdot has been added to the blend), what’s remarkable is the consistency and elegance of ‘Rubicon’ throughout this time, as well as the extraordinary ageing potential it can offer.

In 1985, Nico introduced the inaugural Meerlust Red as the first declassification of 'Rubicon'. A restrained, savoury vintage – vinous history!

We recommend using a Durand or butler’s thief to remove this bottle’s cork.