Merlot accounts for about 6% of South Africa's wine grape plantings and 13% of red varieties, with around 6.5 million litres sold annually.
Merlot may become the toast of the vineyard again. Picture iStock
South African winemakers may have helped condemn Merlot to decades of second-tier status by planting it where it did not belong and treating the grape as a reliable blending partner rather than a serious wine in its own right. But the varietal may be making a comeback as it palms in awards across estates.
Steenberg Cellarmaster Elunda Basson said some of that problem was created by the wine industry.
“Merlot has perhaps suffered from being seen as dependable rather than distinctive. It has long played an important role in South African Bordeaux-style blends, but fewer producers have built a strong premium identity around Merlot as a standalone wine.”
Merlot accounts for about 6% of South Africa’s wine grape plantings and 13% of red varieties, with around 6.5 million litres sold annually. Yet despite its established presence locally, and its starring role in some of the world’s most expensive wines, it has struggled to command the same standalone reputation as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or homegrown Pinotage.
Underestimated varietal
The challenge facing South African Merlot was recognised as far back as 2005, when a handful of wine industry figures decided the variety needed a dedicated home to lift its quality and reputation. Merlot SA’s purpose was to establish “a varietal group focused specifically on Merlot, with the aim of advancing knowledge, encouraging discussion, and promoting excellence in the production of South African Merlot wines.”
Consumers, winemakers and critics have all underestimated the variety to some degree, Basson said. Drinkers became accustomed to Merlot as an easy-drinking red while producers put more effort into varieties that already carried stronger premium credentials. So, it became something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“If fewer producers are making ambitious, site-driven Merlot, there are fewer benchmark wines for critics and consumers to engage with,” Basson said.
Merlot was sometimes planted because there was a market for it, rather than because the soil, climate and vineyard conditions were right for the grape. Put it in the wrong place, and the consequences eventually land in the bottle.
“In the wrong site, Merlot can struggle to ripen evenly, lose freshness or develop green, herbaceous characters. Conversely, if it is pushed too hard toward ripeness, it can become broad and overly soft,” she said.
String of decisions impacts final product
Viticulturist Vlok Hanekom said hundreds of decisions made during the growing season determine what eventually reaches the cellar. Pruning, crop regulation, selective leaf removal and the timing of harvest can all change what ends up in the bottle.
Basson said wine judges may be changing their minds about South African Merlot. However, the tide may be turning as the estate’s Merlot received a Platinum Medal at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards and was named Merlot of the Year at the 2026 London Wine Competition
Earlier this year, Vergelegen’s Reserve Merlot 2022 took the trophy for best Merlot at the Fine Wine Awards. “International recognition rarely comes from one award or one producer,” Basson said. “It comes when a category develops a critical mass of wines that demonstrate quality, identity and longevity.”
