50th anniversary tasting of South African star Meerlust, including the inaugural 1980 vintage of Rubicon – Wednesday 14th May

While wine has been produced on Stellenbosch’s historic Meerlust Estate for over 300 years, it was only in 1975 that the wines appeared commercially, under the Meerlust label.

The first release was a Cabernet Sauvignon, followed just five years later by Rubicon, South Africa’s first Bordeaux blend, which swiftly became a benchmark for the country’s fine-wine scene and remains the estate’s flagship wine.

While Cabernet and Cabernet blends are now established as the signature style of Stellenbosch, back in the late 70s, such wines were a rarity. Along with Kanonkop, Meerlust was one of the few producers of the variety, and certainly the pioneer of the South African Bordeaux blend that it established with the 1980 release of Rubicon. As a result, its Cabernet vines are among the country’s oldest, yielding wines in a style, it says, that seeks to blend ‘Old World sophistication with New World vibrancy’.

To celebrate Meerlust’s 50th anniversary, we are thrilled to welcome both Hannes Myburgh, the estate’s eighth-generation owner, and head winemaker Wim Truter to guide us through a tasting of ten wines, including several older vintages. The tasting will climax with the inaugural 1980 Rubicon, providing a chance to taste a wine which, due to the international boycott of South African wines throughout much of the 1980s and ‘90s, has rarely been seen on the UK market.

We look forward to welcoming you.

The wines we will be tasting:
2023 Chardonnay, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2023 Pinot Noir, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
1993 Cabernet Sauvignon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2021 Rubicon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2015 Rubicon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2012 Rubicon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2009 Rubicon, Meerlust Estate. Stellenbosch, South Africa
1980 Rubicon, Meerlust Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Wednesday 14th May
St. James’s Room
18:30 – Welcome reception
19:00 – Masterclass begins
20:30 – Masterclass ends

Please note that we now offer a tasting board of charcuterie, cheese, olives and smoked crispy chickpeas to accompany your tasting. Simply select your preferred option from the dropdown menu when you book your tickets.

Please note, tickets are refundable for cancellations up to 5 days before the event. Cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected]. Any cancellations within 5 days of the event are non-refundable unless 67 Pall Mall resells the ticket to another Member. This is only possible when the event is sold out and there is a waiting list.

Please note that once your order is placed, your ticket status will display as “processing” until after the event, when your member account is then charged. You will receive an email confirmation after ordering your tickets, stating that your order is being processed – please take this as full confirmation that your booking has been finalised. For any questions, please reach out to [email protected].