THE FRUIT

Grant Burge was a pioneer of Merlot in the Barossa Valley and planted the first Barossa Merlot vineyard in the Hillcot Vineyard in 1982. When our first straight Merlot was produced, there were only two others available in Australia, and although there are more straight Merlots being produced now, Grant Burge Hillcot Merlot sits among the top-selling Merlots in its price bracket.

WINEMAKING

2018 harvest was well and truly dry but produced quality with the help of water retained in the soils from rainy months leading up to vintage. Crops were well down on the bumper 2017 vintage, but only slightly below the long-term average. Summer and early Autumn were unusually dry, requiring supplemental irrigation to all vineyard sites. The low disease pressures associated with dry, warm conditions coupled with the cool night-time temperatures allowed the vines to produce fruit with exceptional character and flavour while being harvested at lower degrees of sugar ripeness, generally producing vibrant, balanced, lower alcohol styles.

TASTING NOTES APPEARANCE

Red/Purple hues.

BOUQUET

Dusky rose perfume settling over plum, raspberries, and aniseed. Hints of coffee bean, toast and lead pencil oak coat are floating in the background.

PALATE

Plush, fresh, with a savoury lick to the back palate. There are layers are cranberry crunch, with some acidity keeping the vibrancy.