1998 Brookmann Merlot
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Tasting notes
The 1998 Merlot Brookmans Vineyard is restrained. Its dark ruby color is followed by sweet, ripe aromas of jammy cherries intermixed with herbs and earth. Open-knit and admirably concentrated, with excellent symmetry as well as purity it is a fleshy, fruit/glycerin-dominated wine. Drink it over the next 5-7 years. This immense, super-concentrated, muscular wine appears to mirror the personality and stature of proprietor/winemaker Roman Bratasiuk. Clarendon Hills produces some of my favorite Australian wines, and readers looking for flavor, personality, and pleasure, should seek out this limited production gem. Imported by The Australian Premium Wine Collection, John Larchet, USA Wine West, LLC, San Rafael, CA; phone: (800)-485-5753 and Chicago Brands, Chicago, IL; tel. (312) 466-9300.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Good ruby color. Exotic aromas of black plum, woodsmoke, tobacco and Northern Rhone-like grilled meat. Broad, spicy and full, with good depth of flavor but little nuance. Rather obtrusively oaky for a Clarendon Hills wine. Finishes with soft tannins and good persistence.
About the producer
Based in the McLaren Vale, Clarendon Hills has been one of the pioneering names in Australian wine. Focusing on single-site expressions of individual grapes, working with old dry-farmed vineyards, it has become one of the world’s leading producers, best known for its iconic Astralis Shiraz.