Balnaves Coonawarra Cabernet/Merlot is a premium red wine blend from the distinguished Coonawarra region in South Australia, best known for its rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a perfect balance of the two grape varietals, with Cabernet providing the structure and depth, while the Merlot contributes softness and a plush mouthfeel. The bouquet offers rich aromas of blackcurrant, spice, and a hint of vanilla oak, while the palate delivers a harmonious combination of dark fruit flavors, complemented by a fine tannin structure. This wine is an excellent example of Coonawarra’s winemaking prowess and the perfect accompaniment for hearty meals or barbeques.

Tasting Notes

A smooth outcome courtesy of nicely textural merlot fruit boasting the prettiest florals. Strikingly dense purple-garnet hue. Bright juniper berry, cassis notes with the aforementioned roses, violets, potpourri. Melds nicely on the palate with tight-grained oak and highlights of garden mint.

About the Winery

More often than not, it is the small wine labels created by passionate families that earn a lot of popularity among wine lovers across the globe. This rule applies to the small wine company of Balnaves, a family-owned unit that is located in the wine-rich region of Coonawarra Rossa Strip of Australia. A very pleasing fact about this brand is that the family loves what it makes; therefore, every member takes a lot of pride and happiness in the final bottle that he creates.

The Balnaves family set up its wine company in 1974 though they have been working with the wine regions of Coonawarra from 1855 onwards. The wines are produced from the family-owned vineyards in this region. Therefore, they represent the different climatic conditions and terroir qualities along this strip. When the first vine plantings happened in 1974, the family-owned only 5 hectares.

Today, the quality of the vineyards has improved tremendously. The Balnaves family grows Cabernet Sauvignon on almost 70% of its vineyards. The remaining 30% is dedicated to growing other international varietals such as Merlot, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz. These five hectares of vineyards are neatly classified into separate plots based on their soil quality, age, ability to produce clones and the like.

The fruits produced on these plots are processed separately so that they reflect the richness of the land where they were grown. Also, the wines produced from these blocks every year are carefully analysed and the main features are noted down to study the relation between micro-climatic conditions and the final quality in the bottle. This is not something you would normally see in the other wine estates in Australia or anywhere in the world. Thanks to their focus on analytics and metrics, the vineyards are taken care of very well, which eventually has a positive impact on the Balnaves wines as well.

https://www.balnaves.com.au

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