Meritage



Blend: Cabernet Franc 43%, Merlot 28%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, 9% Petit Verdot


Analysis:

Alcohol: 14.5% | PH: 3.76 | Titratable acidity: 6.71 g/L


Cellaring: 10+ years


Tasting Notes:

Vibrant and complex nose with everything from ripe raspberry, cassis, blackberry and prune plum through to dried sage brush, orange zest, clove, black olive, marzipan, dusty vanillin oak and malt. The palate is dry, rich and full bodied with crisp acidity and firm, medium-plus ripe tannins. The structure for aging is framed by plenty of dark chocolate, cocoa, cassis, black plum, black cherry, spiced berry compote, citrus peel and a touch of fig, raisin and leather. Drinking well now, it also shows the concentration to open up and evolve over a decade. Pair with rosemary and garlic studded leg of lamb or lamb tagine.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine.

Editor’s Choice of The Wine Enthusiast! 93 points/100

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Wine Making:

2012 grapes benefited from an exceptional growing season bringing phenolic ripeness, sugars and acids into perfect harmony.

Meritage is Burrowing Owl’s flagship blend of Bordeaux varieties grown in our vineyards. Percentages of the components vary from vintage to vintage and are selected from the best blocks to ensure the expression of our Terroir during the season.

The 2012 features Cabernet Franc as the leading grape with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot providing mouth feel, extra length and complexity. The varieties were treated separately until the first assemblage after 3 months of ageing. The blend was aged another 15 months in barrels of different origins, coopers and levels of toast that helped integrate the components and smooth the tannins while adding complex savoury notes. At completion of ageing it was bottled unfiltered and allowed to further age before its release.

Ageing: 86% French oak, 10% American, 2% Hungarian, 2% Russian / 25% new oak, 25% one-year-old barrel

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