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1997 Blue Pyrenees Estate The Richardson Merlot

Pyrenees, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
$59. 99
Bottle
$719.88 Dozen
Closure: Cork

Notes sourced from Blue Pyrenees Estate.

It is often said that great wines start in the vineyard. That is especially true of the Blue Pyrenees Estate 'The Richardson' Merlot, where the philosophy of using only the most select Estate grown fruit isobserved at all times. This ensures that the wines will be rich in the unique flavours and characterof the estate grown grape varieties.

Colin was a larger than life character whose love of life, wine and food infected all who had the pleasure of meeting him. As a highly respected National Wine judge, educator and active member of numerous Wine Industry boards and committees, Colin never stopped espousing the virtue of wine to anybody who cared to listen. Colin's enthusiasm for wine and food touched many in the industry and his contribution as Director of Fine Wines did much to establish Blue Pyrenees Estate's standing as premium wine producer. Blue Pyrenees are proud to offer this limited release wine "The Richardson Merlot" in memory of the late Colin Richardson. Representing Blue Pyrenees Estate's finest 100% estate grown Merlot from the 1997 vintage. It offers intense deep red colour with purple hues, rich dark concentrated berry nose and fruit palate with a firm but attractive tannin finish… a wine Colin himself would have proudly endorsed.

The wine is made from 100 per cent merlot harvested from two small blocks of low-yielding, unirrigated, 20-year-old-plus vines on blue Pyrenees Estate. By mid-April the fruit had reached full ripiness and showed outstanding richness of flavour. After crushing, the juice was fermented together with the skins in open three-tonnes fermenters. The ferments were hand-plunged several times daily, with fermentation temperatures peaking at about 28 C . At 5 baume, about 40% of the juice was drained into new Haut Brion French oak barriques to complete fermentation. The remaining juice was fermented to dyness on skins. After pressing, this portion of the wine was also transferred into Haut Brion Barriques (50% new, 50% 1 year old) for maturation. The Wine was matured in these barrels for 22 months prior to bottling in April 1999.

The colour is an intense deep red, with distinct purple hues. The nose is rich, showing concentrated dark berry fruit aromas, with distinctive briar overtones and integrated oak.The dark berry fruit character continues on to the powerful, full-bodied palate, which already shows appealing softness surrounding a firm tannin backbone. 13.5% alcohol volume.