Geoff Merrill located in McLaren Vale Australia, has been making wines under his own label since 1982. Geoff’s philosophy is to make wine that allows regional, varietals and vintage expression, without excessive wine making intervention.

Geoff Merrill Shiraz Reserve is closer in style to the French Hermitage or Cote Rotie than Australian super concentrated wine. The 2005 is deep ruby color; his greets your nose with black cherry, blackberries, chocolate, licorice, balsamic and vanilla notes. In the mouth its velvety and well balance, and hides it’s roughly 14,5 degrees alcohol well, delivering fine and firm tannins and wonderfully suave mocha and spices flavors. Aged for 24 months in French and American oak. Decant before drinking.

Grape variety: Shiraz
Category: Red / Earthy & Spice
Try it with: Deer with juniper sauce
Imported by: GFour
Other great vintages: 2002, 2006
Points Score: 90/100
Glasses Score: 4
Tasted: May 2010