Saint Clair Merlot 2018
With it's warm lingering finish you can be sure of a warm reception to this wine. Equally well matched to barbeques in the summer months or grilled or roasted beef, lamb, wild game, or pasta dishes in the winter. Ripe plums, cherries, boysenberries, and spicy oak flavours give it a rich christmas cake taste that works wonderfully with cheese. An ideal wine for giving as gifts at Christmas or drinking on boxing day this bottle can be drunk now or aged a little longer for a different taste.
Wine Information
The Saint Clair Family Estate was first settled by the Sinclair family. One of the estate's pioneers, James Sinclair is closely associated with the founding of the town of Blenheim. Neal and Judy Ibbotson have owned the estate since 1978, transforming it from a vineyard to a full wine making facility and joining the ranks of Marlborough winemakers to produce fine New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and other premium wines. The very first vintage from Saint Clair Wines won awards upon its release in 1994. Saint Clair's susttainable approach to winemaking involves open canopy with good light and airflow, minimal use of sprays to control pests, and care given to individual vines to encourage good production. For instance, the vineyard employs leaf plucking and thinning of fruits and shoots. They also encourage selection without cultivation as another of their sustainable practices. They have been using a grading system since 2001 as a management tool and for assessing the quality of each vineyard's wine batches.
Vinification
The fruit for this wine was harvested from several low cropping vineyards within Marlborough, primarily Saint Clair's Rapaura Road Vineyard. The fruit was then de-stemmed into small stainless steel fermenters for a four-day cold soak before being fermented with selected yeasts and hand plunged up to six times daily during the height of fermentation. After pressing, the wine was racked and underwent malolactic fermentation fro enhanced integration of tannin and flavour. After ageing on lees for six months the wine was blended, lightly egg-white-fined, balanced and carefully prepared for bottling.
Tasting Note
A medium-bodied Merlot with lifted aromas of plums, currants, chocolate and mushroom with hints of spicy, toasty oak.
Everyday Serving Suggestion
Saint Clair Merlot is best served at room temperature to accompany barbecued or grilled beef; or lamb with seasonal vegetables.
Awards
Bronze (IWC 2010)
Country / Region / Appellation
NZ / Marlborough / Marlborough
Winemaker
Hamish Clark
Additional Resources:
http://www.saintclair.co.nz/