Balnaves Cabernet Merlot 2020

Balnaves is a family estate in Coonawarra, South Australia, where the soil is the region's famous terra rossa, a bright red iron and calcium-rich earth over white limestone. The free-draining soil allows older vine roots to penetrate the limestone for a steady water supply, a parallel often drawn with St Emilion and the Côte d'Or. This Bordeaux-style blend pairs Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives structure, cassis and firm tannin, with Merlot, which softens the texture and adds plummy roundness. Coonawarra's cool maritime climate ripens the grapes slowly, preserving acidity and the minty regional lift. The wine ages twelve months in French oak, where gentle oxygen exchange rounds the tannins and adds cedar and spice. The colour is deep ruby. The nose shows dark cherry, plum and red currant with mint and tobacco. The palate is medium to full bodied with fine, ripe tannins, fresh acidity and a savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant for an hour. It suits roast and grilled red meats.