
Red Wine, Merlot
Merlot in Australia is not a variety you will often see unblended, until recently. It is most often used to add suppleness and mid-palate to Cabernet’s stern, serious structure. In Australia, Merlot is now achieving considerable recognition as a varietal wine. Merlot blended wines are available from the warmer inland regions, such as Riverina, Riverland and Murray Darling. Single varietal Merlot from the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale produces a softer dry plummy wine. Whereas the cooler climates such as the Yarra Valley and Margaret River tends to take on more savoury characters with firmer tannins.
It is the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux, France where planting has rapidly expanded throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils, is relatively simple to cultivate and is a naturally high yielding. In St Emilion and Pomerol, it withstands the moist clay-rich soils far better than Cabernet, producing opulently rich, plummy wines. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of some of the best (and most expensive) Merlot based wines.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in New Zealand, California, Chile and Northern Italy. New Zealand's Hawkes Bay is producing outstanding Merlot-based blends, especially from the Gimblett Gravels.
It is the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux, France where planting has rapidly expanded throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils, is relatively simple to cultivate and is a naturally high yielding. In St Emilion and Pomerol, it withstands the moist clay-rich soils far better than Cabernet, producing opulently rich, plummy wines. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of some of the best (and most expensive) Merlot based wines.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in New Zealand, California, Chile and Northern Italy. New Zealand's Hawkes Bay is producing outstanding Merlot-based blends, especially from the Gimblett Gravels.
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- As with all Zilzie wines, this represents outstanding value and superb quality for the price. Perfect every day wine from one of the oldest wine producing families in Australia. ... Learn MoreZilzie 'Selection 23' Merlot 2020$11.99 Per item
- As with all Zilzie wines, this represents outstanding value and superb quality for the price. Perfect every day wine from one of the oldest wine producing families in Australia. ... Learn MoreZilzie 'Selection 23' Merlot 2019$11.99 Per itemOut of stock
- Lifted red berries, mint, stone fruits and sweet cherries. The palate features plum, spice and forest fruit flavours balanced by chocolate and vanilla oak notes, finishing with good length and soft fine tannins. ... Learn MoreNorfolk Rise Merlot 2017$12.99 Per item
- Lifted red berries, mint, stone fruits and sweet cherries. The palate features plum, spice and forest fruit flavours balanced by chocolate and vanilla oak notes, finishing with good length and soft fine tannins. Outstanding value! "This shows a lot of “ ... Learn MoreNorfolk Rise Merlot 2016$12.99 Per itemOut of stock
- 12 months in tight grain French and American oak. The nose has primarily lifted strawberry and plum fruit characters. Medium-bodied with an abundance of the primary characters carried through from the nose of plum and strawberry there is also a presence ... Learn MoreThorn Clarke 'Sandpiper' Merlot 2018$14.99 Per item
- Giesen's Estate Merlot is a wine that's very approachable in youth and suitable for any occasion. The fruit is sourced from a premium Gisborne vineyard, producing a Merlot with good fruit intensity and a touch of complexity through restrained use ... Learn MoreGiesen Merlot 2018$15.99 Per itemOut of stock
- The high altitude, age and aspect of Orange and in particular the Koomooloo vineyard has ideal conditions for producing a Pinot Noir of great complexity. The Conductor wears a medium colour with a bright red hue and smells of rich ... Learn MorePhilip Shaw 'The Conductor' Merlot 2016$22.00 Per itemOut of stock
- Founded in 1570 by the Picoron family, Château Picoron has a long history of wine. Now days, Château Picoron is operated by an Australian family. What we produce is as much a celebration of the history of our winery, ... Learn MoreChateau Petit Picoron Bordeaux 2016$34.99 Per item
- Lavishly flavoured yet supple, this powerhouse rendition should appeal to many a Merlot devotee. A complex array of ripe fruit and oak on the nose. Plum, coffee and cedar combined with subtle notes of dark chocolate and cedar. Complex layers ... Learn MoreKatnook Estate Merlot 2016$34.99 Per itemOut of stock
- The dry nature of this area produces low-yielding vines where the fruit is highly concentrated in flavour, resulting in vibrant and elegant styles of wines. ... Learn MoreParker Estate Terra Rossa Merlot 2010$39.99 Per item
- Made by consultant winemaker Rick Kinzbrunner, this is an awesome expression of New-World Merlot ... Learn MoreStar Lane Beechworth Merlot 2014$44.99 Per item
- Star Lane Beechworth Merlot 2010$44.99 Per itemOut of stock
- It smells comforting at first, but as the drinker delves, the bouquet unveils mossy, damp forest earth, and then fresher, leafy greens emerge with their tannins. Medium bodied, strawberry and plum, savoury, grainy graphite tannin, cool acidity, tomato paste flavour ... Learn More
- The Revivalist has a powerful bouquet of black cherry, milk chocolate and a touch of bay laurel. Bold flavours of blackberries and barrel toast are enveloped in a lush mouthfeel. Hardly lacking in structure, the wine is incredibly balanced with ... Learn MoreHickinbotham The Revivalist Merlot 2018$72.99 Per item
- This wine exhibits all the hallmarks of a great Merlot. It has intense varietal fruit characters with an elegant, well structured palate. ... Learn MorePeppertree Reserve Coonawarra Merlot 1998$74.99 Per itemOut of stock
- Brian Croser reports that the “ 1998 vintage was significantly cooler at 1401 degrees Celsius heat summation as against the districts average of 1414 degrees Celsius.” Both the Petaluma Merlot vineyards were drought affected which resulted in a diminished berry size “to the smallest ... Learn MorePetaluma Reserve Coonawarra Merlot 1998$74.99 Per itemOut of stock
- 100% Merlot matured in French oak for 15 months. ... Learn MoreHickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard 'The Revivalist' Merlot 2016$74.99 Per itemOut of stock
- 100% Merlot matured in French oak for 15 months. ... Learn MoreHickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard 'The Revivalist' Merlot 2015$75.00 Per itemOut of stock
- A Grand Cru Classe of Saint-Emilion, Chateau Franc Mayne enjoys an exceptional location in the prestigious appellation. Owned by the Savare family since 2018, Chateau Franc Mayne is enjoying a great momentum of renewal. The property is beautifully represented by the ... Learn MoreChateau Franc Mayne 2019 (En Primeur - Delivery 2022)$79.00 Per itemOut of stock
- Vinification: Picking date determined by berry sensory analysis. Hand-picked and sorted by clonal batches. Fully-destemmed then lightly crushed, fermentation in small stainless-steel vats by clonal batches at 23c with remontage twice-daily for 7 days. Racked into barrels to complete fermentation then ... Learn MoreMerite Ultra Merlot 2015$120.00 Per itemOut of stock
- An exquisite bouquet of incense, raspberry jam, kirsch, licorice, and hints of black olives as well as flowers. This broadly perfumed Pomerol exhibits sensational purity, sweet tannin, medium to full body, and outstanding elegance and finesse. ... Learn MoreChateau La Conseillante 2008 Arriving March 2021$475.00 Per item
- "The fruit is forward and precocious, but there is enough stuffing, structure, and density for the wine to evolve for 20-25 years." 96 pts Robert Parker ... Learn MoreChateau La Conseillante 2005 Arriving March 2021$799.00 Per item
- The panoply of exotic aromas and flavors typically encompasses black raspberry, mulberry, iron, cocoa powder, truffle and expensive new oak. Petrus bottlings are generally 100% Merlot, although some vintages will contain 2-3% of Cabernet Franc. The vineyard itself is planted to 95% ... Learn MoreChateau Petrus 1971$7,000.00 Per itemOut of stock
- The 2016 Pétrus just coats the tongue right away with alluring raspberry and loganberry fruit, full of spice aromas and a gorgeous anise streak. A black tea note echoes through the finish, which is broad and rich yet defined and, ... Learn MoreChateau Petrus 2016$7,500.00 Per itemOut of stock
- The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of ... Learn MoreChateau Petrus 1990$12,000.00 Per itemOut of stock