Merlot ‘22

Haiku:

Fresh Boysenberries
Cocoa Nibs & Blackforest
Textural Soft Oak

Winemakers Notes:

We spent a lot of time and effort keeping our Merlot crops down in ’22 to insure we could secure the ripest fruit possible. This move paid off as the fruit came in clean at a very respectable 23.5 brix. Once at the winery the fruit underwent ferment in an open topped vessel where it spent three weeks on skins. The wine was then pressed off and run to barrel (20% new French oak) where it spent a further 12 months.

Our ’22 Merlot is soft, opulent, elegant and smooth with flavours of boysenberries, red plums and sweet cherries. The palate is silky with very fine tannins giving a smooth texture and lovely length of flavour right across the palate. The Bridge Pa Triangle is the perfect spot for a fine Merlot and this single vineyard, single varietal from 2022 is testament to that.

Vineyard: Lesley’s Vineyard
Sub region: Bridge Pa Triangle
Variety/Clone: 100% Merlot/481

Reviews

★★★★☆ 90/100

“Elegantly styled and expressed, the wine shows dark plum, sweet cherry, rich floral and toasted nut aromas, leading to a silky palate that's juicy and plump. Well-rounded and smooth with attractive fruit intensity, making it immediately approachable. At its best: now to 2028.” – Sam Kim Wine Orbit

91/100 PREMIUM

“A light red and ruby core lead to a bouquet and palate of red plums and boysenberry. There are moments of sweet violet and soft clay soil scents. Tannins are fine adding a lovely mouthfeel, acidity adds crunch and a youthful quality, then the fruit flavours return with a freshness and lift. A youthful wine still with a nice vibrato and palate weight. Best drinking from mid to late 2024 through 2029.” – Cameron Douglas Master Sommelier

★★★★

“The graceful, supple 2022 vintage (4*) is a single-vineyard red, estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured for a year in French oak barrels (20 per cent new). Full, bright ruby, it is medium to full-bodied, with very good depth of ripe, berryish flavours, well-integrated oak, and considerable complexity. Enjoyable young.” – Michael Cooper