1998 Andrew Garrett Cabernet Merlot

Notes sourced from Southern Cross Wines.

Andrew Garrett Wines are based in South Australia's McLaren Vale. Winemaker Charles Hargrave sources fruit from a number of regions, predominantly McLaren Vale and Padthaway to produce a diverse range of premium wines. The Andrew Garrett philosophy of producing quality, individual wines has earned the winery a reputation for innovation and excellence.Made from a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The grapes were sourced from Padthaway (74%) and McLaren Vale (26%) regions in South Australia. Padthaway is renowned for its defined varietal flavours (cool climate), and McLaren Vale its richness and palate weight. The fruit was selected from a number of vineyards located in these regions to produce a richly flavoured yet elegant and complex wine.The selected parcels of fruit were crushed and vinified separately. Following a traditional warm fermentation and 7 days maceration on skins, the wines were transferred to a combination of new American and French oak barrels for 15 months maturation.Tasting notes: The colour is a deep red with crimson edges. On the nose there is intense, varietally defined aromas of dark berries, courtesy of the Cabernet Sauvignon, and dark plums from the Merlot. The palate is rich and full-bodied showing complex, sweet berries in a well-rounded yet firm mouthfeel, finishing long with fine-grained tannins. This is a wonderfully balanced wine which exemplifies the rich and elegant fruit characters that a combination of cool and warm climates can produce. Cellar 3 - 5 years. 13.6% alcohol volume.