Baroota Creek Merlot – The Art Of The Prune

Our general rule is that great wines are made in the vineyard. But when it comes to Merlot, we can pinpoint the make-or-break factor for our wine at pruning time.

Merlot is more sensitive to sunlight, fruit load, and soil moisture, than most varieties, so during pruning season we make sure that spurs are evenly spaced. Spurs are small shoots on the vine that contain two buds, from which new growth develops.

Our vineyard management program makes sure these vines have enough leaves to create a canopy for protecting the grapes through the season, while leaving a quantity of spurs that won’t burden plants with too much fruit production.

Baroota Creek Merlot enjoys a drink in moderation

A further element we pay close attention to is irrigation because Merlot is particularly sensitive to “wet feet”.

This means constant monitoring of our irrigation system, adjusting it as needed. The Merlot grapes we use in the Baroota Creek series, are neighbours to our Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, located on the western slopes of the Southern Flinders Ranges.

As Merlot grapes ripen, close attention is paid to the acid levels (which are falling) and the sugar levels (which are rising), to make sure we get harvest them when the balance is perfect.

The finished wine is soft, fleshy, and luscious, and very much fruit forward in style.

Our Merlot features the flavours of ripe blackberries, cherries, and plums, elegantly framed by soft, silky tannins.

You will also detect a slight earthiness in this wine’s long, smooth finish, thank to extra ageing in high quality, seasoned French oak barrels.