Geoff Merrill Jacko’s Shiraz 2018

Jacko was, in fact, Michael James, who worked for many years in Merrill’s cellar. He was a bit of a character, and this is a wine that’s full of character. It was a very good season, and this is a generous, full-bodied Shiraz with some lovely dense, chocolatey plummy notes and just a lift of peppery fruit for balance. Tannins have a slightly chalky, grainy feel to them. The oak is well-managed and not insignificant, but the fruit dominates and powers through to the finish. Terrific wine for drinking over the medium term.