I almost wasn't going to put Merlot on the label at all, to avoid the stigma that the grape carries in Australia.
This isn't what we see in Australia, think of it as a Yarra Valley Bordeaux. It's Merlot that is handled very much the same as I do Canernet Sauvignon, it's 45-50 year old vines in the cold Upper Yarra, but with good phenolic development and acid structure at picking, meaning everything else in the universe lines up to create a symphony of nuanced complexity. I very much don't care about what the grape is, it's just a medium to show the place and time, it always is, and this year gave me a chance to show what Merlot can do.
 
Expect structure, and power, with purity and elegance.
 
Around 25% new oak. Wild yeast. Small extended maceration post-ferment.