Mérite Wines

While almost all Australian Merlot in the bottle is from one clone, this wine, our flagship wine, is a multi-clone blend made from French clones that are new to Australia, on a superior site that produces fruit a grade or two above what is normally expected of Australian Merlot. These ‘new’ clones grow better and so may be harvested earlier providing a new set of flavour profiles and wine styles for Australian Merlot. This wine aims to be a new benchmark Australian Merlot.

Our parcel at MÉRITE was established in 2006 with a deliberate goal: let’s produce much better Merlot. The 'new' clones were planted on a pristine unplanted site - the French clones were not grafted onto another previously planted vine’s roots which readily influence the upper vine. Each clone was planted in a Phlloxera-free zone on own-roots and low vigour rootstocks vines and on two different soil profiles so that a winemaker may select from a veritable ‘menu of Merlot’ at harvest time.

Each clone was planted with a separate irrigation shift, as we respected the rainfall patterns of where they came from - some clones are directly from France while others journeyed via Italy and Argentina. The parcel is managed with sensitivity to the clones, the varying soils profiles and where they had previously thrived in order to bring out the best in each ‘menu’ mini-parcel.

Each vintage clonal batches are vinified independently until blending. Why? Each batch creates distinct attributes. One tends to provide floral aromatics, another dried herbs, for example. The blending together of these clonal batches, each showing distinct characteristics, creates a complex, assertive, yet delicate Merlot without needing another variety blended in.

We are often asked which clone is best, or which is in this wine, as though there is a shortcut.

Merlot is a variety that it very sensitive to the soils and climate of its individual site.

So, to answer this question is to understand that these clones grow differently, create different attributes, then let’s add soils and regional climate into consideration, so different areas of the site produce different attributes. Therefore, the clonal batches that make the final blend in our multi-clone MERITE Merlot, and the percentage of each, becomes the ultimate reflection of the site and vintage. Our multi-clone MÉRITE Merlot will not be a recipe - it will speak to the site, the soils and the capabilities of certain clones that vintage.

Read Jane Anson's article discussing our work with French clones of Merlot that are new to Australia in Decanter magazine here

Reviews of 2015 MÉRITE Merlot

"Bright, juicy, fruit-filled and savoury at once. It’s all laced together with ultra-fine tannin too. We are in pretty classy terrain here. Shaved pencils, black cherries, boysenberries, redcurrant. None of the dreaded mulberry. Flings of earth. It s super succulent and beautifully balanced. It almost feels like it s been painted in watercolours too, almost always a good sign, though there s just a bit more oomph than those words commonly imply. That said, it s a steadfastly medium-bodied wine, with no pretensions for anything more. Just look at the tannin structure of this wine. 94 points" Campbell Mattinson www.winefront.com.au

"Densely scented bouquet with aromas of sweet plum and new oak, violet and clove, wild red berries and liquorice root; as it opens up in the glass the concentration and complexity builds whilst holding onto its very youthful quiver. On the palate – an obvious yet not overdone ripeness and concentration with flavours that reflect the nose centering on plums, some blue fruits and floral moments. The oak is obvious with its youthful attack, but will integrate over time; medium+ (ish) tannins and acidity, well made and drinking well now. Best from 2019 through 2030+. 94 Points" - Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier www.camdouglasms.com

"I recently tasted the excellent 2015 Mérite Merlot from Wrattonbully" January 2019 Tim Atkin AW

"It's a finer, tighter and more composed wine than most. It allows its internal architecture to be seen and felt without the layering or pillowy padding that can turn many merlots flabby. It offers up aromas of plum skin, violets, snapped twigs and roast tomatoes that draw you into a beautifully shaped, elegantly framed wine with a willowy draping of uber-fine tannins. If this is where Australian merlot is going, then I’m very happy to follow." writes Nick Ryan in The Australian here

“The wines they’re producing with these new clones are at the forefront of a revival of top-quality Merlot in Australia.” Max Allen in the Australian Financial Review here

"MERITE has five clones of Merlot, one the long-used (lesser quality) clone, the others 8R, Q45, 343 and 181. This wine was made from two batches of Q45, one on its own roots from terra rossa soils, one grafted onto rootstock planted in sandier soils. Lightly fined and matured in oak (30 percent new) for 8 months. It's still a work in progress, but the texture, structure, purple and black fruit flavours point the way ahead."

Another Special Value wine! Read James Halliday's 96 point review - Drink by 2035 here

$60 per bottle.

A classic cellar-worthy Cabernet grown on Terra Rossa over Limestone soils with the advantage of Australia's best "new clone" Merlot blended in. This wine is a window into a new chapter for Australian Cabernet.

REVIEWS OF THE 2015 VINTAGE - low inventory

"A powerful, rich and ripe (but not too ripe) wine with luscious fruit and oak in an Indian arm-wrestle for dominance. Even now (tasted Feb17) they are evenly matched, so with another 5 or so years the fruit will be foremost. Tannins - both fruit and oak derived - play a significant role and will continue to do so. A classy wine in every way." 96 points Special Value wine Drink til 2035 James Halliday in Wine Companion

"Cellarworthy Cabernet if ever there was one. The. Structure of this is just spot on. Its bold, and complex, but its the tannins, structure and acidity that really impresses. Bay leaves, boysenberry, black currant/Redcurrant and peppercorn notes flush the palate with flavour before herb-infused tannin arrests control. Its aromatic too, classically so. It unfolds beautifully as it rests in the glass." 95 points Drink til 2035+ Campbell Mattinson www.winefront.com.au

94 points in blind Panel Tasting for Limestone Coast Leading Reds in GTWine magazine. “The palate is elegant with succulent berry fruit and fine tannin.” says Toni Paterson MW and “The wine is quite youthful and I found an interplay between blackberry, black currant and garden herbs. There’s an excellent concentration and fine, pleasantly dry tannins to finish” writes Nick Bullied MW. Read more here

$60 per bottle.

Now Australia has better clones of Merlot. This is made from just one of them: Q45

What does this "new clone" Merlot taste like?

Reviews of the 2016 Q MERLOT

"The balance here is spot on. Its also noticeably void of any alcohol heat, always worth applauding. It tastes of dark chocolate and fresh blue/blackberries, with gunmetal and peppercorn characters as gentle infusions. I always see an iodine character in these wines, and I see it here too though its subtle at most. Its quite a lovely red wine." Campbell Mattinson - 92 points on The Wine Front here www.winefront.com.au

"95 points Special Value wine 2020 Halliday Wine Companion"

Reviews of the 2018 Q Merlot

"Lovely fruit here. You get the feeling that the vines are digging in deeper. Less mulberry, more plum, more blackcurrant. There are traces of mint here too, along with swoops of cedarwood and black olive, but all these aspects are integrated, and all work a treat. I like the tannin here too; it’s assertive without getting in the way. This is a merlot I would buy, and I don’t write those words often." Campbell Mattinson 93 points on The Wine Front

REVIEWS OF 2017 343 MERLOT

"It’s firm and wel flavoured and while it’s attractive now, it will mature well. It tastes of blackberry and black currant with mint and briar herbs notes drift through. The mid-palate dips slightly but it recovers quickly and well. Dry chains of tannin, a note of choc-mint and a confidant finish. Value plus. 92 points." Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front here www.winefront.com.au

Almost fifteen years ago, vignerons Colleen and Mike spent four months in Argentina to taste and learn everything they could about growing and making Argentine Malbec. Later, when Argentine clones of Malbec became available in Australia they seized the opportunity to plant an experimental parcel of four clones on their site in 2008 - seeing synergies between their cool climate site and some of the high altitude estates around Mendoza.

Argentine clones can produce smaller berries, creating wine that is more intense in colour and flavours. On our site, our soils and climate coax these newer clones to create Malbec that is inky, with intense fruitiness and aromatic qualities, and the excellent natural acidity and fine tannins that will reward cellaring. Available here in a mixed pack along with our cool-climate Shiraz Malbec.

We're really excited to be able to share an inky, vibrant, delicious Australian cool climate expression of Argentine Malbec with you.