The new release 2007 Picardy Merlot/Cabernet is a blend of 53% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. This delicious wine, made very much in the style of the Merlot dominant St Emilion/Pomerol wines, is all about elegance and refinement. Medium bodied, fine-structured palate; very attractive cassis, blackberry and cedar mix,  perfectly balanced with the oak judged to perfection;  delightful mouthfeel and texture and a complex finish. The 2007 vintage is probably the best the yet - the Pannells feel they have now really nailed the 'magic formula' to make this Bordeaux blend.

This is a wine in the style of the Merlot dominant St Emilion/Pomerol region - fruity but elegant and with excellent structure which will reward cellaring. The outstanding features of this wine are its structure, fine grained tannins, low pH without high acidity, excellent colour and pronounced fruit flavours. It should drink superbly for up to twenty years. Winery Notes

Bright colour; a most attractive and fragrant wine with fresh cassis notes giving a juicy cast to the palate, supported by fine tannins and quality French oak. Cork. 14% alc. Rating 94 Drink 2015 $25 Date Tasted Jul 09 James Halliday Wine Companion

We like the style of this, but it won’t be for everyone. Its flavours are a walk on the wild side: sausage meat, plums, twigs, aniseed and (Walsh reckons) sweet grass. It’s also a touch dilute. The thing is, though, that there’s a touch of class here. And it’s exquisitely balanced. And, basically, we just like its style. Drink 2010 - 2017; Price: $24.95 Alcohol: 14. Seal: Cork; Score: 91 Points; The Big Red Wine Book; Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh.

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