Full Review

Buy It Now

The Saltress
2022 Meritage, Western Cape

Pair this wine with:

Category: Red Meritage

Date Tasted: 6/4/2024

Country: South Africa

Alcohol: 13.5% RS: .5%

Buy It Now

87 Points

Silver Medal

Highly Recommended

$13

Best Buy

The Saltress
2022 Meritage, Western Cape

Pair this wine with:

Category: Red Meritage

Date Tasted: 6/4/2024

Country: South Africa

Alcohol: 13.5% RS: .5%

Garnet color. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, cherry, leather, and red plum and baking spices with a round, lively, dry medium body and a warming, appealing, medium-length finish with elements of black currant and cherry preserves on slightly burnt toast, smoky leather and cedar, plum, and toasted herbs with medium tannins and light oak flavor. A slightly smoky and earthy Left Bank blend with vibrant fruit and a bit of spice; sure to please a crowd and pair well with a roast or grilled meats.

Tasting Info

	Style:	Crisp & Lively
	Aroma:	blackberry, cherry, leather, and red plum and baking spices
	Flavor:	Same as aromas with elements of black currant and cherry preserves on slightly burnt toast, smoky leather and cedar, plum, and toasted herbs
	Sweetness:	Dry
	Enjoy:	Now on its own and with food
	Pairing:	Pot Roast, Steak & Potatoes, Beef Stew
	Bottom Line:	A slightly smoky and earthy Left Bank blend with vibrant fruit and a bit of spice; sure to please a crowd and pair well with a roast or grilled meats.

The Producer

Spier Wine Farm Management

www.spier.co.za

Their Portfolio

94 •	Arnout Tamboer Jansz 2015 Methode Cap Classique, Stellenbosch 12.5% (South Africa) $49.00.
86 •	Naledi 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coastal Region 14.5% (South Africa) $18.00.
88 •	Naledi 2022 Meritage, Coastal Region 13.5% (South Africa) $18.00.
86 •	Naledi 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, Coastal Region 13.5% (South Africa) $18.00.
92 •	Naledi 2023 Chardonnay, Coastal Region 13.7% (South Africa) $18.00.
87 •	The Saltress 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape 13% (South Africa) $13.00.
87 •	The Saltress 2022 Meritage, Western Cape 13.5% (South Africa) $13.00.
89 •	The Saltress 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Cape 14% (South Africa) $13.00.

Red Meritage

Serve in a Cabernet Wine Glass

Meritage (rhymes with "heritage") is a term coined in California to describe a blended wine made with Bordeaux varieties. While there could be a white Meritage, the term generally refers to a red wine, thus made with any combination of five grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Established in the 1980s, the concept of Meritage wines was initially greeted with a good deal of fanfare, but today, that excitement has waned. Most of the 100 plus wineries that make a Meritage-style wine are in California; many do not even use the term on the label, preferring their own fantasy name.

Meritage red wines age similarly to a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and are best paired with red meats and game.