Brash Higgins Merlot 2021

Forget what you think you know about Merlot. The 2021 MRLO rewrites the narrative with a blend of plush fruit, savoury spice, and serious drinkability. Sourced from 1994-planted Merlot grown on clay at Lennon Vineyard, this wine is lifted with 15% Nero d’Avola to bring freshness and bounce.

Fermented in a mix of amphora and open-top fermenters, it was aged for 7 months in clay and a further 6 months in barrel. The result is a layered, plush wine with a savoury, herbal undertone.

“Poached damson plum, lilac and dried tobacco meet tomato leaf, sage and a splash of green herbs. There’s a lovely energy to the wine—freshness that balances the plushness—and a tannic structure that sneaks up softly.” –  93 pts – Ned Goodwin MW – James Suckling