2024 Elderton Estate Family Merlot, Barossa Valley

An estate-grown (Nuriootpa) merlot that's all plump and plush with juicy, cinnamon-dusted plum, dark cherry and boysenberry fruits. Hints of baking spices, crushed herbs, dried raspberry, light toasty oak, blueberry pie and cocoa nibs. With nice crunchy fruit, powdery tannins and a medium-weight path across the palate, it's lovely drinking. Drink 2026-2036.

92 points Dave Brookes Halliday Wine Companion April 2026

Merlot in the Barossa can be an underrated gem, and Elderton’s take shows exactly why it deserves more attention. The Ashmead family, custodians of this historic Nuriootpa estate since the early 1980s, have always had a knack for coaxing generosity and balance from their vineyards. While Shiraz may be the headline act, their Merlot offers a softer, more approachable lens on the Barossa, shaped by warm days, cool evenings, and those classic red brown loam soils that give both ripeness and structure.

Juicy plum, black cherry and mulberry come forward straight away, layered with subtle notes of cocoa, dried herbs and a gentle hint of cedar from well judged oak. It feels plush without being heavy, the tannins are smooth and rounded, and there is a freshness running through the middle that keeps everything lively. A faint savoury note builds with air, adding complexity and making it far more interesting than a simple fruit driven style.

Drinking beautifully now, but there is enough structure to see it evolve over the next five to eight years, picking up more earthy and secondary characters along the way. It is the kind of wine that bridges easy drinking and quiet sophistication.

A natural fit for roast duck with five spice, grilled pork cutlets with fennel and apple, or mushroom and lentil dishes that play into its softer, earthy side. Perfect for relaxed dinners where the wine does not need to shout to be noticed, just quietly deliver.