The Bricks Cabernet or Cabernet Merlot, call it what you will, is a blend of 88% Cabernet sauvignon and 12% Merlot (and so being under 15% the Merlot need not be declared)

The Cabernet in this wine comes off 2 exceptional vineyards. The 2004 Bricks Cabernet Merlot was ranked 2nd in Australia by James Halliday and came off Chris Walls Kywarra vineyard out at Orange (that was our last review from James as it was the one with Hugh Jorgan as our winemaker).

The 2006 Bricks Cabernet Merlot came off the Cargo Road vineyards at Orange and was reviewed as Australia’s best Cabernet Merlot by Franz Scheurer.

The 2007 is a blend of 51% Chris Wall Cabernet, 49% Cargo Road Cabernet and 12% Cargo Road Merlot (yes, I know). The unsung hero in this wine is the Merlot. The Cargo Road Merlot vineyard is an absolute ripper, one of the best I’ve seen and it greatly annoys me that we haven’t produced a straight Merlot off it for a few years. Stay tuned……………..

Like the Bricks Shiraz, this is big wine. The perfume we get off these vineyards is just wonderful. They fair leap out at you.

The palate is big, rich, seductive and generous. Again, a bloody big red but not a harsh red. Big needn’t mean aggressive.

You can try to cellar it, but I’m just going to cuddle up to it, my wife and a roast lamb over the next few months.