WINES

Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon

The 60:40 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon creates a wine with intense crushed berry aromas with integrated spicy cedar oak with hints of mint. The cool climate fruit flavours of raspberry and blackcurrant show through the fine-grained tannin structure with a subtle oak presence that doesn’t over power the fruit.

Cellaring: will reward 6-10 years, continuing to develop an earthy complexity over time.

Viticulture: 2004 was a warm long vintage with the vineyard producing more grapes than the desired 2-2.2 tonnes per acre so fruit thinning was undertaken to bring the quantity back down to maximise flavour. The berry and bunch size was consistently small thus resulting in a good ratio of skin to juice and better colour and flavour extraction.

Vinification: The two parcels were fermented separately and aged separately in seasoned French Hogsheads (300lt) for 14 months. After maturation the wine was blended together and then bottled and stored for 7 months before release.

Reviews: 4 Glasses
Medium red-purple; mint, leaf, earth and berry aromas and flavours; not withstanding the alcohol, light to medium bodied, with fine tannin support.
Rating: 88, Drink: 2010. (James Haliday 2008 Wine Companion).