Red Blend 2018, Murdoch Hill, Australia

Murdoch Hill has been in the Downer family since 1939 but vines were first planted here only in 1998. The farm is on the eastern side of the Adelaide Hills in the Onkaparinga Valley, with 21 hectares of vineyard on shallow red loam soils packed with schist and limestone and up to 516 metres above sea level. Since taking over the winemaking reins in 2012, Michael Downer has taken the farm’s wines to similar heights. 

The 2018 Red Blend comprises Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.  Whole bunches were hand-harvested and de-stemmed into open fermenters. The wine was matured in older French barriques for 10 months before bottling unfined and unfiltered.

We think it tastes like an Aussie Pomerol.