2022 Dandelion Damsel of the Barossa Merlot, Barossa Valley

Brightly opaque with flashes of dark violet and ruby. A leggy viscosity. A compote of wild berries and then bursting blueberries and sweet cassis that's been freshly bottled. Alive aromatics complete with the best Merlot fruit reminiscent of a high acid blueberry jam. The aroma leads and the bouquet faintly hints at the vaguest waft of spice from older oak barrels. A flooding mouthful of wine that sweeps all before it. Fruit acid and tannin combine to make a merlot AWD 4WD.

The Damson plum and blueberry and blackberry flavours drive the wine and give it a perfect weight. This is Merlot that sings and shines, but a clear acid and tannin backbone keeps it on the road. The after-palate is long and brings with it whispers of dry dark chocolate.