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Meerlust Soil & Vineyards
Soils & Vineyards Terroir Overlays
Click the interactive map to explore our vineyards and soil types.
Lowlands
Altitude : 30.4 MASL
Aspect : South Facing
Vine Density : 3968 vines/ha
Soil Profile
Clay (from Shale) - Duplex - Klapmuts
Varieties Planted
Merlot : 4.59ha
Cabernet Sauvignon : 9.57ha
Compagniesdrift
Altitude : 70 - 120 MASL
Aspect : Northwest Facing
Vine Density : 2222 vines/ha
Soil Profile
Decomposed Granite - Cumulic - Oakleaf
Varieties Planted
Chardonnay : 5.77ha
Merlot : 11.14ha
Cabernet Sauvignon : 7.13ha
Cabernet Franc : 3.70ha
Pinot Noir : 4.21ha
Petit Verdot : 2.15ha
Quarry
Altitude : 32.3 MASL
Aspect : East Facing
Vine Density : 2667 vines/ha
Soil Profile
Greywacke/Shale - Lithic - Cartref
Varieties Planted
Chardonnay : 5.39ha
Merlot : 4.73ha
Cabernet Sauvignon : 4.90ha
Cabernet Franc : 3.00ha
Pinot Noir : 1.00ha
River Terraces
Altitude : 18.5 MASL
Aspect : Southeast Facing
Vine Density : 2222 vines/ha
Soil Profile
Alluvial Deposits - Cumulic (Alluvial) - Dundee
Varieties Planted
Chardonnay : 1.58ha
Merlot : 1.59ha
Cabernet Sauvignon : 8.87ha
Cabernet Franc : 4.13ha
Climate
Meerlust’s climate is largely influenced by its proximity to the ocean. The result of this maritime influence is that Meerlust is much for moderate in temperature than other parts of Stellenbosch.
This moderating effect means slightly warmer nights and cooler day time highs, resulting in more hours spent in the ideal temperature band for the growing and ripening of grapes – 20 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. Compared to other Stellenbosch wards, Meerlust and its environs also experience the least number of hours of 35°C and above. This regional uniqueness was the main driver for the creation of the Eerste River ward as a distinct viticultural entity, distinguishing it as a unique geographical unit with its own suite of similar terroir aspects.
This has a tremendous impact on the ripening cycle of the grapes in the Meerlust vineyards. Mild, even temperatures during the growing season allow the fruit to reach ripeness in the optimal conditions required for all the intricate metabolic pathways that lead to phenolic ripeness of grapes and full varietal expression. In other words, climatic conditions ensure that the photosynthesis of leaf canopies is in sync with the ripening bunches of grapes. The levels of acidity, sugars and phenolic ripeness in the grapes – vital factors in determining the final wines – develop in tandem and share the same trajectory in the ripening phase.
These ideal conditions mean that Meerlust’s grapes attain optimal ripeness earlier in the harvest period than do most other Stellenbosch wards – another distinguishing feature.
The southeasterly breezes that blow through the vineyards during the summer can cause the air temperature to drop by up to 5°C, depending on wind strength, compared to the town of Stellenbosch. Normally arriving in early afternoon, the southeasterly wind is as much a part of Meerlust’s terroir as the clay, shale and granite soils and relatively low-lying, expansive setting of the vineyards. And the wind’s effect on Meerlust is felt the most when it does not appear, as was the case in the extremely wind-free 2024 vintage where there was a lower incident of wind, when temperatures rose significantly, leading to a fuller expression of ripeness in the grapes. The resulting wines, while still in barrel at time of writing, show greater opulence.
The moisture-laden wind has a further benefit in reducing the vines’ exposure to the sun’s UV influence. This factor, combined with the mild temperatures, helps to ensure that sugar accumulation and phenolic development are in step.
