Winery - Geoff Merrill
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Layered, supple fruit and a lovely mouthfeel—ripe, but not flabby—really shine in this wine. Rich blackberry and plum flavors, impressive integration of fruit and oak mark the finely balanced palate. Closes long with very smooth tannins, dark chocolate and coffee flavors. It’s less structured but more seductive than the 1994. Drink now through 2008. Cellar Selection.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Layered, lovely and admired by all, including Geoff, for its big, open bouquet of black and red berries, chocolate and a cool menthol-eucalyptus note. Lovely tart-sweet fruit shows on the palate, offset by mineral notes and tangy oak. Again, a fine sense of balance shows, and the wine closes long with crisp acidity and full tannins, promising plenty of life. Drinks well now, best 2004-2009. Cellar Selection.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
At nearly six years, this wine is still virtually undrinkable. It’s tannic as heck, and the acidity scours the mouth. The palate searches for fruit, in vain. It’s all about alcohol and heat. Forget about aging this untrained puppy.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Pours dark as ink, and smells young and mute, with hints of white pepper and blackberry. Tastes young, too, with brash acids and brisk tannins framing jammy flavors. It would be a shame to drink this too early. Try cellaring it through 2005.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Shows acorn/nut and mint aromas, and flavors of red plum and chalk that are still somewhat closed. Finishes with juicy plums. Still not at its peak; try in a year or two.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Like the 2001 Shiraz, this excellent wine isn't at its peak yet. It's an understated, reserved style of wine, its tannins fine, its finish juicy and chalky. Aromas are of mineral and clay. Try in 2007.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Geoff Merrill's flagship wine is an excellent one, featuring light maple and dusty black plum aromas, and a mountain of flavor on the palate. Peaks midpalate with understated plum, anise and hazelnut flavors. Finishes juicy, with fine tannins.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Merrill’s new flagship red enters the top tier of Australian Shiraz, coming on strong with a nose of sweet toasty oak, a hint of cumin and peppery notes. The palate offers lots of dark, briary fruit, chocolate hints and the fine balance characteristic of all his best wines. Finishing long, this forward and delicious wine is already drinkable. It should last a decade or more, peaking after 2004. Cellar Selection.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Subdued black fruits, licorice, spices and smoky notes hint at the rewards cellaring will bring to this deep, rather brooding wine. The palate feel is big, but even and smoothly textured, while the finish is long, with full, supple tannins. Large-scaled and still closed, this dark, toasty and tasty wine needs a year or two to open. Best after 2003.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Big, solid and substantial, with lots of dark berry fruit bearing meat, earth, and mineral accents. Well-structured, it still needs a little more time to come together completely. Even tannins, tangy fruit and oak play out on the smoky, long, dry finish. Drink now to 2008+. Editors’ Choice.
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