Mystery Marlborough Merlot 2015

Description

"It is attractively fruited and elegantly complex on the nose showing blackcurrant, spiced plum, thyme and toasted almond characters, leading to a succulent palate that is supple and silky. The wine offers elegance as well as rich fruit intensity, beautifully framed by silky tannins. Immediately approachable and very easy on the palate. At its best: now to 2020." Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Nov 2018

Dark ruby red with a purple rim in the glass. Sweet ripe red cherry aroma and perfumed blueberry notes. Rich and round with ripe red cherries, juicy red plum and hints of vanilla. A finely powdered texture is supported by a seamless acid balance and a touch of savoury oak to finish.

Grapes were de-stemmed into small stainless steel fermenters for a five-day cold soak to help maximise flavour and colour extraction. The juice was inoculated with specialised yeast to complete fermentation and then hand plunged and pumped over for gentle extraction of flavour colour and tannin. The young wine was kept in contact with skins and tasted daily until the right extraction and balance was achieved then gently pressed. Once settled it was then racked to seasoned French oak where it underwent secondary fermentation (malolactic fermentation).  After ageing on light lees the wine was blended, fined, balanced and carefully prepared for bottling.

Fruit was harvested from a number of specifically chosen, naturally low cropping vineyards from Marlborough’s Wairau Plain. The vineyards were carefully monitored as they ripened to full maturity and harvested at the end of April.

Food Pairing: Seared salmon fillet with fresh green salad