Little River Winery is a tiny 15 acre winery owned and run by Count Bruno and his wife Jan de Tastes. It is located in the Swan Valley, some thirty minutes from Perth. The winery is run applying old world-style principles with new world technologies. The utmost is done to ensure wines of high quality; the vines are not irrigated, the fruit is hand picked and a traditional Basket Press is used to press the fruit.
I visited this Swan River winery while back in Australia and I must say I was very impressed across the entire range; both whites and reds. This is the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, a traditional Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon (50%), merlot (40%) and cabernet franc (10%). The wine has been aged in French oak for five years and does not undergo any fining or filtering processes.
Here is my tasting note:
Deep red in colour. A lovely elegant nose of red berry fruit with hints of mint and oak. Plenty of spicey red cherry fruit on the palate with hints of mint, eucalypt and some caramel-like oak. Great mouth-feel with grippy tannins. Smooth and well balanced. Spicey cherry lingers nicely on the finish. This is an excellant effort that is lovely drinking now, but definitely has cellaring potential.
