Post House Vineyards Merry Widow

Harvested from 28-year-old vines growing in Glenrosa and Hutton gravel soils, which provide the characteristics necessary for cultivating grapes of the highest quality, the grapes are fermented with the estate's natural yeasts in open stainless steel containers. They are in contact with the skins for 14 days, during which they are punched down at the peak of fermentation. The malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels, where the wine is minimally processed. No mechanical pumps are used; only the traditional principle of gravity is employed. 20% of the wine is aged for 24 months in new 225-liter oak barrels from France and America. During this period, the wines are racked three times. There is no filtration, and the sulfur content is kept to a minimum.

This is a dark red wine with a richness on the nose and palate. It has aromas of blackcurrant, chocolate, white pepper, cinnamon, raspberry, and a hint of flower petals. This is an elegant wine with firm yet supple tannins. The rounded ripe fruit gives it a long and lingering finish.

This Shiraz is named after the American commemorative stamp that became known as "Merry Widow," inspired by the operetta composed by Franz Lehár in 1905. The British actress Lily Elsie played the lead role. She had a penchant for wide-brimmed hats adorned with rich feather decorations, which became known as "Merry Widow hats" and resembled the headgear depicted on the commemorative stamp.