Geoff Merrill Botham Merrill Willis Shiraz 2015
- Rich, full-bodied
- McLaren Vale
Geoff Merrill has done it again, proving his relentless consistency over the decades, and his avid followers will be blushing at the thought of the Botham Merrill Willis from 2015. Twenty nine (count emâ) months relaxing in American and French hogsheads would often overpower the juice, but not in this instance as the intense, chocolatey, dark and brooding fruit holds up in impressive balance. This kind of style is what put Aussie reds on the world map. Itâs full. Itâs rich. Itâs powerful. Itâs what the doctor ordered. And if big, bold, rich dark shiraz is your jam, itâs definitely what you should order too.
Profile
Reviews
Wine Orbit
âItâs superbly fruited on the nose showing dark fruit richness with spicy oak, tapenade, cured meat and dark chocolate nuances, leading to a concentrated palate displaying excellent weight and intensity together with plush mouthfeel and silky tannins, making it immensely appealing. Splendidly complex with ripe fruit flavours with matured spicy/savoury notes.â
Itâs cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- McLaren Vale
- Vintage
- 2015
- Cellaring
- 2030
- Preservatives
- â
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 14.5%
- Closure
- Screwcap
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- â
- Serving Temp.
- 14.0°C
Region
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a region that lives in the shadow of the hype of the Barossa. While it has played on Shiraz as its drawcard, and continues to battle (quite rightly) with the supreme power of the Barossa, perhaps the most exciting wines from this region are its old vine Grenache and Mataro (Mourvedre/Monastrell - whatever you want to call it), and its more recent foray into Spanish and Italian varietals. Both the sun's warmth and the reliable salty afternoon gully breeze make the climate closer to Mediterranean than many other Aussie regions, and some of the Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo and Sangiovese from here are sublime (to name only a few). Awareness, proper consideration and sense of place are key attributes to the region's success, and its recent win against urbanisation reinforces the value of the viticultural region.