Watson Family Cabernet Merlot 2016

Description

The Watson family have made benchmark wine in Margaret River since 1973 with Woodlands wines. With strong community contacts spread across the region an opportunity to source fruit and make wine in the style of a Micro Negociant presented itself and their second label Watson Family Wines was born. Immediately approachable and representative of the region with the odd experiment thrown in for excitement,The Watson Family brand represents the very best of Margaret River at an affordable price.

2016 was an incredible vintage for Margaret River red wines, and certainly the greatest since 2012. A cool to moderate spring and a week of January rain enabled excellent retention of acidity. Summer was mild and warm, ripening the fruit to perfection.

The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard is located in the southerly Wallcliffe region, which produces very elegant aromatic wines with gravelly tannins. The Merlot, from vineyards in the central Wilyabrup Valley region, known for producing plush wines with ripe tannins.

After harvesting, this wine was destemmed and crushed before being ‘cold soaked’ on skins for up to five days prior to fermentation. During fermentation the must was pumped over 4 times a day to extract colour and tannin. Following fermentation this wine was matured in French oak barrels for 12 months.

Intense crimson in colour, the nose shows classic characters of raspberry and blackberry. The palate displays a variety of ripe red and dark berry fruits, and finishes with lush ripe tannins.  Enjoy now and over the next 5 years. Special when you buy 6 bottles or more