Barramundi Merlot 2020 (Australia)

Barramundi Merlot 2020 (Australia)American & French oak Cherry & plum Subtle vanilla Soft tannins "Fruit forward and approachable, the wine shows dark plum, olive, mixed spice and roasted nut aromas, followed by a succulent palate offering rounded mouthfeel and fine tannins, making it easy and friendly. At its best: now to 2025" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2022 Ruby with a crimson hue. Intense red forest fruit aromas as blackcurrant, cherry and plum accompanied with subtle vanilla. Rich

• American & French oak
• Cherry & plum
• Subtle vanilla
• Soft tannins

"Fruit forward and approachable, the wine shows dark plum, olive, mixed spice and roasted nut aromas, followed by a succulent palate offering rounded mouthfeel and fine tannins, making it easy and friendly. At its best: now to 2025" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2022

Ruby with a crimson hue. Intense red forest fruit aromas as blackcurrant, cherry and plum accompanied with subtle vanilla. Rich blackberry and plum bouquet, complemented by a moderate acidity, soft tannins and well-integrated savoury oak notes.

Hot, dry and minimal frost across the region during the period of critical growth leading up to harvest has enabled high quality grapes with intense varietal flavours to be grown. The dry winter did result in reduce yields from some vineyards planted on sandy soils but overall yields were as expected. Water deficit in the soil between veraison and maturity stages led rich and concentrated red forest fruit flavours in red wines.

Trained onto two wire vertical trellises with both wires mechanically pruned back to 2 buds. The canopy is managed through reduced water to restrict its vigour, increase both colour and flavour intensity.

After night harvesting the Merlot grapes were crushed into static fermenters. After a brief cold soak to extract colour and flavour, the must was inoculated with Burgundy style yeast strain. Controlled fermentation occurred over ten days, commencing at 24°C reducing to 20°C. Gentle Pump-overs occurred six times daily to maximise the extraction of colour whilst still retaining a soft juicy palate structure. Pump-overs were reduced to twice daily towards the end of fermentation to minimise seed tannin extraction. To avoid any harsh tannins and bitterness only free run and first pressings were used in this blend. After pressing the wines were settled for three weeks before racking onto new French and American oak for 6 months.

Food Pairing: Buttered parmesan crostini, Calabrese pizza, chicken en papillote with garden vegetables.