Merite Wines

Q Merlot

• 

  Vintage 2016
  95 points

MERITE has five clones of Merlot, one the long-used (lesser quality) clone, the others 8R, Q45, 343 and 181. This wine was made from two batches of Q45, one on its own roots from terra rossa soils, one grafted onto rootstock planted in sandier soils. Lightly fined and matured in oak (30 percent new) for 8 months. It's still a work in progress, but the texture, structure, purple and black fruit flavours point the way ahead.

• 

  Vintage 2020
  94 points winecompanion.com.au

This is a merlot worth hunting down. The flavours shoot through the wine in convincing style, bringing nuance but also out-and-out fruit flavour, of both the red and black berried kind. It’s neat, firm, polished and generally well finished, with just enough grain to keep it feeling real.