MERITE Merlot 2024 Wrattonbully

MERITE Merlot 2024 Wrattonbully
RRP: $75

With a clear ambition to craft Australia’s finest Merlots, Mérite’s 2024 release signals both intent and precision, stepping away from plush stereotypes toward structure and detail.

Aromatically composed, it opens with red plum, black cherry and mulberry, lifted by violet and dried rose. Savoury layers of tobacco leaf, olive and fine herbs also emerge.

The palate sits in a medium to medium-full frame, defined by shape over weight. Plum, blackcurrant and sour cherry freshness drive the core, while fine, graphite-like tannins and bright acidity bring clarity and length. A savoury thread of bay leaf, sage and light earthiness adds complexity. The finish is long, dry and poised, tapering through spice, dried herbs and a subtle mineral edge.

Vino Masters Score: 96 / 100
★★★★★ A refined and confident release that prioritises precision and power, marking Mérite as a producer to watch.

Drink: 2026–2036 (decant one hour prior to serving)

Winemaking
Harvest date was determined by berry sensory assessment rather than Brix/Baumé. Clonal batches of Merlot were harvested separately and managed independently until final blending (assemblage). The proportion of each clone varies by vintage to highlight seasonal attributes and build an engaging vertical narrative.

Fruit was harvested at dawn and delivered to the winery by 9am. It was mechanically harvested, optically berry sorted, crushed and destemmed, then inoculated on the day of arrival. Fermentation took place in small-batch stainless steel fermenters with twice-daily pumpovers, before pressing after seven days. A portion underwent in-barrel fermentation in a temperature-controlled warm room.

The wine was matured in French oak barrels in a temperature-controlled facility until assemblage in November 2025. It was then fined with egg white, sterile filtered, and bottled in December 2025 under both cork and screwcap.

Analysis: 14.5% alcohol | pH 3.42 | TA 6.4 g/L