The Accidental Red came about in 2022 by.....unforeseen opportunity.....by accident! The
Merlot being pressed for Rosé had too much juice remaining to discard to compost and the Shiraz pressings had too much colour for Rosé so in they went together. From 2023 we decided to make the Accidental Red deliberately and to make it better. Merlot berries are fermented with pressed out Shiraz juice, so in effect there is half the amount of skins for the wine volume. A relatively quick wild yeast fermentation (limiting the time on skins) then into barrel for malolactic and six months maturing through the winter. This Red is from premium Macedon Ranges fruit and comes in as a bright, chillable, quaffable, deliberately inexpensive wine. The red cherry juice and stone aromas mix with blueberry depth. Violet and subtle brown spice add gentle complexity. The palate is supple in a mid-weight Pinot-like way with freshness and fine tannins giving a clean, smooth finish. It drinks well now and will drink well for half a dozen years.

- Winemaker, Michael Dhillon