2012 ‘White Label’ Cabernet Merlot
$25.00
The well-developed and rounded front palate progresses to mature, mouth filling tannins with good acid mid palate that persist through hints of berry jam, mint and dark berry fruit conserve finish.
Product Description
Variety: 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 6% Cab Franc, 6% Petit Verdot
Region: Orange, NSW Central Highlands
Winemaker’s Notes: The high elevation cool climate volcanic soil and intense sunshine of Orange produces this red blend with intense fruit, high natural acid and good tannin structure. I find that judicious maturing in French Oak combined with a small proportion of new American Oak displays fruit intensity up front with a soft tannin finish. The intense fruit and crispness of this wine make it a particularly good companion to food.
Winemaker: Gerald Naef
Colour: Red to brick red.
Aroma: Alluring fruit aromas of mint and blackberry mingled with cedary oak reminiscent of cigar box.
Palate: The well-developed and rounded front palate progresses to mature, mouth filling tannins with good acid mid palate that persist through hints of berry jam, mint and dark berry fruit conserve finish.
Winemaking: At the end of the growing season the Cabernet wasn’t ripe, so I decided to venture into uncharted territory and leave the grapes on the vine to increase their sugar content by way of desiccation. After the first frost the leaves fell off, but the grapes were slowly increasing the concentration of sugar. After a late May snow the skins began to break down so I decided I had pushed it far enough and harvested. Alc/Vol 13.0%
Cellaring: Although drinking well now I expect this wine to continue to evolve favourably through to at least 2028.
