• French oak
• Plum & blueberry
• Vanilla & almond
• Fine tannins

"The powerful, youthful 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-picked in the Stone Vineyard, in the Gimblett Gravels. A blend of Merlot (91 per cent) and Cabernet Franc (9 per cent), it was matured for 22 months in French oak casks (38 per cent new). Deeply coloured, it is fragrant and mouthfilling, with concentrated, ripe plum, blackcurrant, spice, and nut flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, and excellent freshness, depth, structure and complexity. Best drinking 2025+" Michael Cooper

"Dense, almost inky red with cassis, black Doris plum, wood smoke, struck flint, dark berry, vanilla and pronounced spicy oak. Youthful, complex wine with excellent cellaring potential although it can certainly be appreciated now 3/11/2022. Drink 2022 to 2035" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, ov 2022

"Offering gorgeous fruit purity with elegant complexity, the wine shows Black Doris plum, blueberry, thyme and toasted almond characters with a lovely floral overtone. The palate delivers excellent weight and silky flow, well complemented by plush texture and beautifully melded tannins. At its best: 2023 to 2034" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2022

"There’s always a fine seductive quality about Merlot and this wine exemplifies that idea with a plush almost exotic plum and purple flowers bouquet followed by complexity from lees and barrel spice, toasty oak and a smoky earth quality. Dry, youthful, firm textured and fruity at the core with flavours of plums and smoky dark berries, anise and vanilla, dark flowers and baked nut flavours. There’s also a light saline quality adding to the mouthfeel and length. A lovely wine ready to drink from 2023 through 2029+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Oct 2022

"Deep, full ruby-red, lighter on the rim. The nose is gently growing in volume, with aromas of cigar, overlying plum, red berry, herb and spice. Medium-full bodied, aromas of plum and red berry have a savoury edge, unfolding clove, nutmeg, cigar leaf and blackcurrant leaf. The fruit is dense and enlivened by lively acidity; ripe, smooth, grainy tannins reflect dark minerals and carry on to a long, dry finish. This elegant Merlot possesses a dark mineral backbone with red fruit and cigar spice on a fine tannin palate" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Oct 2022

98% Stone vineyard (Gimblett Gravels), 2% Earth vineyard (Bridge Pa Triangle). 91% Merlot clone 181 and 9% Cabernet Franc clone 326. Handpicked on 21/3-28/3. Inoculated & natural primary ferment, natural malolactic in spring. 30 mths on light lees, 22 mths in barrel (38% new) 8 mths in tank. 600 cs (9l) produced.