Intense dark cassis, mocha and liquorice aromas, with sweet scented oak notes. Fleshy tannins are supported by juicy dark plum flavours and a long warm finish.

Enjoy with wild game, a juicy steak and aged cheddar.

The Sileni Cut Cane Merlot is sourced from the Sileni Hautapu vineyards within the Bridge Pa Triangle Winegrowing Region, located on the Heretaunga Plains, Hawke's Bay. The Heretaunga Plains is one of the warmest areas in Hawke's Bay and coupled with the free draining red metal gravels provide the ideal conditions for growing Merlot. Crops were thinned down to one bunch per shoot to provide ripe and concentrated fruit flavours. When the grapes were at optimal ripeness, part of the block was left out and the canes were cut, allowing the fruit on the vine to shrivel, concentrating the juice within.

Following harvest, the fruit was de-stemmed and partially crushed into open top fermenters. The open fermenters were gently hand plunged to extract colour and tannin from the skins prior to post-ferment maceration. Primary fermentation took around seven days and then stayed on skins for a further four weeks before pressing. The wine then completed malolactic fermentation and matured in oak barriques (225L) for sixteen months with a 40% new oak component (70% French, 30% American) and 20% second fill.