Sandalford Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2023 (Australia)

Sandalford Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2023 (Australia)Deep ruby red with youthful garnet hues. Blackcurrant and red berry fruits overlaying plum skin, potpourri, wild mint and bay leaf nuances. Oak spice, chocolate box and cedar notes derived from French oak maturation adding to the appeal. Medium to full bodied and elegant in structure, the generous sweet red fruits, plum skin, and oak nuances are balanced with subtle savoury spice. The firm, fine grained tannin structure is well balanced providing

Deep ruby red with youthful garnet hues. Blackcurrant and red berry fruits overlaying plum skin, potpourri, wild mint and bay leaf nuances. Oak spice, chocolate box and cedar notes derived from French oak maturation adding to the appeal. Medium to full bodied and elegant in structure, the generous sweet red fruits, plum skin, and oak nuances are balanced with subtle savoury spice. The firm, fine grained tannin structure is well balanced providing length to the finish. This classic Bordeaux blend will cellar for up to 10 years adding complexity with bottle age.

The spring rainfall preceding the 2023 vintage was the second highest on record in Western Australia. Additionally, the maximum temperatures for spring were very much below average for most of the south west of the state. The persistent rainfall and cool conditions during the spring season promoted lush and healthy canopies with moderate crop levels. The Summer arrived with some timely warm weather in December and January to get things going in the vineyard. It is fair to say that the 2023 seasonal conditions have delivered one of the highest quality vintages seen for well over a decade.

The two varieties were harvested separately during the cool of night in mid-April and destemmed to static fermenters. A select yeast isolate was used in the primary fermentation and lasted for 10 days with pump overs used twice daily during this period to ensure optimum extraction of colour, flavour and tannins. The wine was then drained and pressed to tank for malolactic fermentation before maturation in a combination of tank and seasoned French oak barrels before blending, fining and bottling.