Deep, dark ruby with a heady nose of violets, black berries and plum, a hint of orange rind, dried thyme, black tea, tobacco, licorice, boot polish, graphite and complex spice. In the mouth it’s rich, muscular and serious with flavours of plum, black cherries, juicy red berries, fig and bay leaf and tobacco that are gripped with firm fleshy tannins and powered by punchy acidity. The fruit is deep and concentrated and soaks up the oak well. It moves along, through to a long-layered aftertaste with blackberry, raspberry licorice and a very astute descriptor that Moss Wood uses in their own description; tamarillo! A serious Margaret River Merlot that looked its best on day 3, with no signs of fading.