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Returning to his home along the Nagambie Lakes after the completion of service during World War II, Eric Purbrick discovered a cache of wine, hidden circa 1876 under the family estate cellars. Though pale in colour, it was sound and drinkable after seven decades. The promise of long lived red wine inspired Purbrick to establish new plantings at Chateau Tahbilk in 1949, today they are some of Victoria's oldest productive Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Having barely scraped through the ravages of phyloxera and a period of disrepute, the fortunes of Tahbilk were turned around by Purbrick who was the first to market Australian wine under its varietal name. Tahbilk proudly hosts the largest, single holding of Marsanne on the planet. Tahbilk's original rows of Shiraz are commonly cited as one of the great vineyards of the world, regularly sampled at international competitions against illustrious icons such as Romanee Conti and Chateau Lafite, Vega Sicilia and Chateau.. Phyloxera, ancient cellars & seriously old vines»

Smith Hooper Merlot CONFIRM VINTAGE

Merlot Wrattonbully South Australia
The term Terra rossa means red earth, a rich, free draining soil that is considered by many as the viticultural equivalent of discovering gold. Beneath the strata of red earth at Wrattonbully sits a layer of ancient limestone, a winegrower's dream as it allows free drainage of water, yet ensures vine roots stay close to the surface, putting natural stress on the vine and limiting its vigor and yield. An attractive wine upon release and destined to develop complexity, just perfect alongside crispy skinned pork belly. In sticky sauce of course.
Available in cartons of six
Case of 6
$125.50
The art of making wine from Merlot requires a careful avoidance of any over extractions of tannin from the fruit and seeds. Smith & Hooper choose to vinify in static fermenters while continually tasting the wine as it evolves. The skins are eventually pressed when the requisite structure and palate weight can be achieved without any distasteful tannin hardness. In pursuit of these soft tannins, Smith & Hooper are judicious in their barrel selection, maturing the finished wine for up to a year in a combination of new and older French oak hogsheads and barriques.
Bright scarlet colour. Eenchanting and full bouquet of red fruits and violet, berries and bay leaf notes to complement the central core of plum fuit. Medium bodied showing raspberry fruit and oak spice finishing with light silky tannins.
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Smith Hooper
Samuel Smith & Son is a well respected, family owned wine merchant established in 1923, with a portfolio of eminent blue chip wineries

Samuel Smith & Son's commitment to be recognised as the most respected purveyor of fine wines remains unequivocal and absolute. Smith & Hooper wines are sourced entirely from two Wrattonbully vineyards, adjacent vineyard blocks previously owned by the Smith and Hooper families. These are premium red wines from exceptional vineyard sites with Terra Rossa soil, a rich, free draining soil that is considered by many as the viticultural equivalent of discovering gold

Smith Hooper

"Like many SA companies, Yalumba had been buying grapes from Coonawarra and elsewhere in the Limestone Coast Zone long before it became a landowner there. In 1993 it purchased the 20-ha vineyard which had provided the grapes previously purchased, and a year later added a nearby 16-ha block. Together, these vineyards now have 22 ha of cabernet sauvignon and 4 ha each of merlot and shiraz. The next step was the establishment of 82 ha of vineyard in the Wrattonbully region, led by 34 ha of cabernet sauvignon, the remainder equally split between shiraz and merlot!" -Wine Companion.com.au

Smith Hooper

Smith Hooper