2015 Inigo Merlot
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Vines
When indulged with close attention to moisture and grooming of its foliage, Merlot rewards the patience of this pampered care.
Vintage
After above-average winter rains and drier conditions in spring, hot weather in January 2015 accelerated ripening, leading to an earlier start to vintage in February. The rapid ripening meant red and white varieties were ready for picking at the same time, contributing to long days of harvesting and processing. As a result, vintage in Clare finished early before the end of March without any severe impact on quality.
Winemaking
The 2015 Inigo Merlot was selected from three parcels of fruit and crushed into Stainless-steel fermenters. Pump overs were done twice daily to extract tannins and flavour from the skin, without overworking the ferment to avoid any bitter seed tannins. After a 14-day ferment, the must was pumped to a membrane press for gentle extraction.
Attributes
Dense blackberry and violets burst from the rich, juicy palate with ripe and soft tannins. A lingering finish evokes a hint of chocolate and mocha spice.
