2022 Brokenwood Cabernet Merlot

Excellent colour with medium to deep density and purple hues. Lovely sweet cedar and blackcurrant notes from the Cabernet and background vanillin and nutmeg from the French oak. Sweet fruit up front on the palate with Turkish Delight and dark pastille flavours. Fine tannins carry to finish. An immensely enjoyable wine that will reward cellaring.

The McLaren Vale component was machine harvested, crushed and chilled to tanker in McLaren Vale. Vinomatic fermentation in the Hunter. Not overly worked, as soft tannins are required. The Margaret River component was machine harvested in the cool of the night, fermented in a closed top fermenter, pressed off skins and sent to the Hunter Valley post-fermentation. Oak maturation in 100% French barriques for 18 months before being blended.

The 40th release of this wine is a blend of McLaren Vale, a cooler Margaret River vintage. A mild summer and warm autumn in McLaren Vale resulted in gentle, slow ripening with a delayed harvest, producing outstanding fruit. Wonderful cassis fruit characters and rich in flavour with classic Cabernet aromatics. The blend for this wine is two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Merlot.