Merlot

"A Merlot for Cabernet lovers sets the scene. This 2017 vintage has freshness, elegance, and harmony while still showing its intensity without trying to be showy or big, just naturally built in a serious manner with lots of savoury interest in between the layers expressed, in notes of tobacco and forest floor with impeccable purity and distinction. Fine-grained and firm while not tannic, it certainly got its power to back up the expectations for the future in its very polished structure. Taking a step back on the new oak has definitely benefitted the wine in an even more positive way. It shows development in a way that doesn´t make it feel aged, despite it being 5 years from vintage. This wine will go on and on. To find a comparison globally and style-wise, it´s like a Vega Sicilia-like style way of showing maturity. There´s lots of perfume on this wine as it opens up, a fragrant red fruited prettiness under the surface of all this harmony and savouriness. Polished while maintaining personality and character with that beautiful iron-like rustiness starting to bring the place into the picture. This is a cracker of a Merlot. N.B. This is NOT an overripe, fruit cake-driven, chocolate-laden overripe Merlot. This is sheer class." - Madeleine Stenwreth MW.