Oxford Landing Merlot 2018
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James
Suckling
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Crimson in color with purple hues. Enticing aromas of milk chocolate, plum and raspberries with subtle cedar and spices. The medium bodied palate starts with vibrant flavors of plums and although tightly structured, the finish is rich and generous with persistent fruit flavors. Soft, velvety tannins are a feature of the supple palate.
Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, or asparagus fettuccine with tomato cream sauce would be a lovely accompaniment.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This bargain Merlot is a very well-made, fleshy red, packed with plenty of mouth-filling, succulent plums.
Other Vintages
2017-
James
Suckling
It takes an amazing amount of vision to look at a patch of sunburnt red soil and imagine a vineyard bursting with fruit. That's exactly what the late Wyndham Hill-Smith did when he founded Oxford Landing in 1958.
Few things in life have the power to capture a sense of place and community like wine. As places go, Oxford Landing is something special. Set on the banks of South Australia’s majestic Murray River which winds its way through the rugged rural landscape rippling with life and promise, the Oxford Landing vineyard and winery were aptly named after the precious patch of land they call home. A sense of community is the heart of the South Australian region, and the river is the lifeblood that keeps it flowing.
By nurturing the wine every step along the journey from bunch to bottle, Oxford Landing crafts quality, consistent, and authentic wines. Taking a 'small scale' approach with methods usually reserved for boutique winemaking, the winemakers use wild fermentation with yeasts native to the vineyard and blending with barrel-aged wines. Minimal handling of the juice also means the fruit is processed gently, yet quickly. Thinking small does make a lot more work, but the Oxford Landing team takes pride in working hard to craft great wine.
Oxford Landing is also committed to the protection of the environment, and all their wines are 100% vegan with zero animal products used in their production for more than 12 years. The Oxford Landing team also works to reduce their carbon footprint by absorbing more carbon than the winery generates. Through their revegetation program they have planted over 200,000 native trees and shrubs to benefit local wildlife.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
South Australia is the historic heart of Australian wine, a great wine capital of the world, and home to some of the most famous regions. It produces more than 80% of Australia’s premium wine from some of the oldest vines in the world. There is an abundance of varieties and wide spectrum of styles to explore. From the rogue to refined, discover Australian wines that are far from ordinary.