Philip Shaw No. 17 Merlot & Cabernet Franc

A finely tuned blend with elegant structure that offers a harmonious balance between pure fruit intensity with lingering savoury character.Nothing smells more like Orange in glass than Cabernet. Violet’s, blueberry and cassis with a hint in the background of winter greens and cigar box. On the palate there is an abundance of generous fruit that finishes with the characteristic savoury finish.

No17 is a summation of all its contributing blocks. 5 + 7 + 2 + 3 = 17 . Vintage 2022 was not without its challenges and this was especially the case for merlot. In a typical year merlot plays the lead role in this blend with supporting parts of Cabernet franc and sauvignon. This year however all but a small block of merlot made it across the line and in the weird turn of circumstance Cabernet Sauvignon raced ahead with its characteristic small berries. Malbec for the first time makes a mention on the front label, out of the dark from a friend’s vineyard to add depth and colour to the blend.