This wine, without losing any of its freshness and fruit flavours, at 9.13 percent alcohol by volume, is about30 percent lighter in alcohol than Robertson Winery's standard Merlot 2011 and has a commensurately lower kilojoule count than its standard counterpart. Robertson Winery uses the term extra light because it is both an extra dry (less than 2.5gm/l residual sugar) and low alcohol wine (between 6.5 percent% and 10 percent alcohol by volume). Both these factors contribute to the low kilojoule count.
Winemaker Jacques Roux said: "With the trend towards a healthier lifestyle and the stricter enforcement of drink-driving laws, we are confident that the Robertson Winery Extra Light Merlot 2011 will be widely welcomed by our customers, knowing that the quality of Robertson Winery will be sustained in their light wines. This wine has strong aromas of plum, mulberry, cinnamon, and spices, and has flavours of ripe punchy plum and sweet black cherries. I suggest enjoying the wine with poultry, red meat, or pasta, and salads."
The Robertson Winery Light Range, launched in 2010, now comprises the Extra Light Merlot, the Extra Light Sauvignon Blanc (the first light sauvignon blanc in South Africa), the Light Chenin Blanc and the Light Pinotage Rosé. The light range was developed through legitimate cellar techniques and, to a lesser extent, creative viticulture. The Extra Light Merlot was not oak matured, as this could have overwhelmed this light-bodied and refreshing wine.
If tasted blind, most people wouldn't recognize this wine as having a low alcohol level. A study in France, a few years ago, found that 1000 consumers were unable to differentiate between the taste of standard wines with 13 to 14 percent alcohol and those with a moderate reduction of alcohol to 10 to 11 percent (Dr Dee Blackhurst in a 2009 Wynboer article).
Approximate retail prices of the Robertson Winery Light range:
