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| White Label is a McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest eminence, having been nominated for the George Mackey Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding Australian export. Crafted from fruit grown to some of the oldest vines at Pirramimma and McLaren Vale, it has twice claimed Gold in San Francisco and competed well against a formidable host of distinguished growths at the prestigious London International. Pirramimma» |
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| Stephen Pannell is one of Australia's most decorated winemakers, Jimmy Watson and twice Max Schubert Trophy winner, London International Winemaker of Year and Chairman National Wine Show. He found time in between tours of duty at Wirra Wirra, Tintara and BRL Hardy, to do vintage in Burgundy, at the illustrious Mouton Rothschild and amongst the grand old vines of Barolo. SC Pannell» |
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| Meshach William Burge 1843-1942, was Grant's great grandfather, a central figure in establishing the Burge vineyards and estate. He was eleven years of age when his family moved from Wiltshire to the Barossa, where he toiled to develop what has grown into a thriving viticultural, wheat and sheep property near Lyndoch. Grant Burge» |
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| Daniel James Wilson would write DJW rules on school book covers, desks, garden edgings and wet concrete whenever the opportunity arose. In 1997 DJW established a small 5½ acre plot of Riesling in the highest and most fertile corner of the family property. Wilson Vineyard» |
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| Brookland Valley Estate made a conspiuous impression through their stirling efforts at Cabernet Merlot when they claimed several significant trophies, including the hotly contested Qantas Best Wine of Show. Expressing fully the generous palate structure and aromatic richness of the stylish Margaret River Cab Merlot accord, beautifully perfumed, bramble flavoured wine, brimming with the quality and elegance which has earned Brookland Valley Estate a five star reputation. Brookland Valley» |
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| Named for a rare grasshopper Sigaus childi, found only at Central Otago within the Earnscleugh gold mine tailings, just across the road from Grasshopper Rock vineyard. The site is fortuitously harsh and sufficiently challenging to make the vines work their hardest. Grasshopper Rock» |
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| Named for the Chapel district of Lenton in Nottingham, Brae is Scottish for a small hill, which is what the Lenton Brae vineyard is situated on. Fortuitously placed within the very epicenter for superior Margaret River Cabernet, the site was planted after advisement from the proprietors of nearby Moss Wood, with which it shares a similar terroir and microclime. Lenton Brae» |
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| Originally planted during early settlement, the sandy loam soils of Haan Vineyard yield an outstanding quality of Shiraz. Fortuitously positioned along the hallowed mile of Siegersdorf Road, mid way between the ancient winegrowing hamlets of Angaston and Tanunda, the heirloom parcels once known as Hanenhof, have claimed significant trophies at the prestigious London International. Haan» |
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| From one of the oldest productive blocks of Marsanne in the world, an opulent white wine of remarkable complexity. The pick of fruit from this very special patch of ancient vines is crafted into a wine that's built to age beautifully in bottle, initially brooding and water white, evolving luxurious caramelled characters while unravelling layers of flavour. Tahbilk» |
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| From two blocks of superior vines grown to the McLaren Flat estate, hand planted by the Scarpantoni brothers in the early 1970s. Brothers Block claimed Australia's most illustrious award, the highly coveted Jimmy Watson trophy in 2007. Scarpantoni» |
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| The inaugural release of Hanging Rock Shiraz was vintage 1987 and what an event it was, immediately claiming gold and inspiring comparisons to Grange by the industry press. From from fruit grown to the estate Athols Paddock, a complex Heathcote style, more Syrah than Shiraz, boasting several trophies and over fifty gold to its distinguished history, big, powerful and rich, yet exhibiting an elegance and finesse that's rare in Australian wine. Hanging Rock» |
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| Elizabeth is a classic Hunter Valley white which has established itself as one of Australia's benchmark Semillon. Named in commemoration of the first ever visit to Australia by a reigning monarch in 1954, Elizabeth has claimed over fifty trophies and multi gold throughout it's long and illustrious history. Mount Pleasant» |
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Merricks Estate
About Merricks Estate - the Winery
Merricks Estate
One of Mornington Peninsula's founding estates, Merrcks Estate endure as a custodian of some wonderful old vines and the traditions of a great winemaking region
Merricks Estate label is an 1821 lithograph by Louis de Sainson entitled Habitation de Pecheurs de Phoques au Port Western. The earliest printed image of Victoria, dated two years before the founding of Melbourne. It depicts a sealers camp between Merricks and Point Leo beach. The vineyard covers more than 3 ha and production varies between 1500 and 3000 cases, according to the season. Seasons can vary dramatically. While the location is magnificent, it comes with often difficult weather, especially in late spring and early summer when the vines are flowering and the new leaves offer little protection from gale-force winds and blinding rain. In such conditions, viticulture is crucial.
Merricks Estate uses the Scott Henry trellising system, which maximizes the light and sum available to the fruit and opens out the canopy of leaves. The leaves are the vine's solar collecters and the way they are now trellised provides greater opportunity for photosynthesis for fruit ripeness and flavour during the long ripening season. In the extended ripening before picking in April and May, flavours are concentrated and the varietal characteristics of grapes are intensified. There is tremendous diversity within each block of varietal grapes at Merricks Estate. This can be attributed to the magnificence of Mornington's mesoclimes, the highly favourable terroirs and a manifest of opportune clones.
Merricks Estate Shiraz was recognized as an exceptional wine from its earliest release. The 1984 Shiraz was named by England's prestigious Decanter magazine as one of the best wines of 1985, and was described as a wondrously spicy/peppery wine which is, at the same time hauntingly delicate
At Merricks Estate the most elusive grape, Pinot Noir, has produced superb burgundian style wines but tantalizingly low yields. It was therefore gratifying when the 1997 Pinot Noir, the first vintage to meet Royal Melbourne Show volume requirements, was awarded the trophy for Best Pinot Noir.
In a move towards crafting vintages which are more articulate of Mornington, some of the older Cabernet vines were replaced by Pinot Noir. Clones include the M4V2 (Pommard) and the Abel. The old French Pommard clone celebrated for its darker fruit, structure, density, chewy texture and sweeter nose. The Abel also originated from France adds a more savoury characteristic to the wine. Additional plantings of the auspicious MV6 have also served well. The vineyad team are always very excited about these additional clones at harvest time as they look forward to better vintages offering wines of greater complexity. The small amount of older Merlot vines have also been removed and replaced with a half acre of Chardonnay.
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