2014 Geoff Merrill Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Matured for 30 months in new and used American and French hogsheads and puncheons. Retains excellent, bright-rimmed crimson-purple colour; the fate of the wine will be determined by one's like or dislike of oak. This apart, the mouthfeel is surprisingly elegant, the palate long.

94 points James Halliday winecompanion.com.au

From the Geoff Merrill website:

The Geoff Merrill wine making philosophy has been and always will be, to make wine that allows regional, varietal and vintage expression, without excessive winemaker intervention. Great wine is a matter of balance and our passion for subtle, elegant and harmonious flavours in wine is well documented.

“I have been making wines under the Geoff Merrill label since the 1980 vintage and in that time my commitment to releasing wines to be enjoyed at the table has never changed”. Geoff believes in holding his vintage for maturation before release hence this vintage is still available for sale.

The colour is a dark red with great depth. The aroma really displays the best characteristics of this ripe vintage. It's full of intense red berry fruit, chocolate, earth and leather. The palate is voluptuous and seductive, initially appearing generous and inviting before revealing the serious structure beneath. Extended maturation both in barrel and bottle before release has allowed the wine to gain some sophistication and grace from what was a very rich and robust vintage.