Technical Analysis
The 'classic' Merlot is an excellent expression of the cultivar and terroir.
Tasting note
Elegant with soft red fruit and characteristic notes of vanilla, cedar and clove with a lively edge. The nose offers red cherry and redcurrant, while the palate reveals sour cherry, coffee and spicy clove. The velvety texture is enhanced by refreshing acidity, while well-integrated tannins add structure. This fuller-bodied wine will stand up to rich dishes with strong Mediterranean flavours, such as braised and roast meats, tomato-based stews, mature cheeses and briny olives. Will bottle age well for five to seven years after bottling.
Vinification details
Intensive suckering and crop reduction helps concentrate the fruit and ensure that the Merlot has good colour and a distinctive character. The grapes were harvested at a sugar level of 24-25°B, after which the juice was cold soaked at 10°C for five days and fermented on the skins for 10 – 14 days, allowing the temperature in the tank to peak at 28°C. The wine was then transferred to a combination of 50% new, 30% 2nd, 15% 3rd and 5% 4th fill 225l French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and left to mature for 18 months. It then underwent a light fining before bottling in the second week of November 2018.
