The King Skink 2023 Carbonic Merlot

The King Skink is made from a small 600kg parcel of Merlot grown on my friend, Nick Morlets’ vineyard planted in 2001. The property is in organic conversion and the Merlot was enjoying the excellent growing conditions of the 2023 vintage. Located in the Wilyabrup region, famous for growing Cabernets and Merlots, the Morlet Vineyard is on the Coastal side of Cowaramup which experiences a warmer climate, ideal for the ripening of these varieties. The vines grow on beautiful red loam soils sitting above Granite bedrock.

This was the first wine that Che truly felt embodied the idea of NeoTeric, the small parcel of fruit was a perfect opportunity to put his twist on a common variety of the region, with the goal of making a lighter more approachable style Merlot. The fruit was picked in late March and left whole bunch to Carbonically macerate in a stainless steel tank for ten days. After the ten day period the clusters were basket pressed and barrelled down to neutral oak to finish fermentation. The wine was then bottled after ten months ageing in barrel.