from a trio of reds

Drinks Trade Online magazine, August 2010

Deakin Estate has released a trio of reds including a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2008 Merlot and a 2009 Shiraz. Offering value for money, each of the wines displays personality and are to be consumed when young or cellared for three to five years.

A story about our Merlot

David Ellis, Central Coast Express-Advocate, 17th June 2010

You could be excused for thinking that a merlot that sells for just $10 a bottle would be the product of some almost factory-like set-up, stored for a few weeks in tanks akin to an oil refinery, and then dumped on bottle-shop shelves just a month or so after the fruit came off the vine.
But a just-released Deakin Estate Merlot is from the 2008 vintage so it's had a couple of good years aging, and is in fact the handiwork of a winemaker who treats fruit for his wines with an almost personal, and certainly no factory-like, respect.
"I do like to think red wines have personality," Phil Spillman said. "In the case of our merlot the vines seek a life of comfort, hanging from the wire and not much interested in anything," Dr Spillman said. "But with encouragement, merlot is nothing short of charming, with a refined personality that needs to be matched only with the highest quality French oak." Dr Spillman said of his 2008 drop, that's 82 per cent Murray Darling and 13 per cent Coonawarra Merlot fruit, with a 5 per cent dash of Murray Darling Petit Verdot.
The result is a wine with lovely rich preserved-plum flavours and fine silky tannins.

Punching way above its weight

Rick Allen, Manly Daily, 4th June 2010

A wine-writing friend tipped this to me and before I go any further, let me point out it's $10. Deakin hang their hats on value-for-money cheapies, and this is punching way above its weight, too. There's the usual merlot characteristics ... plum and cherry and gentle spice, and that all important suppleness in the mouth. If you have a fnendly Italian restaurant around the comer, then this is your boy. $10

Over delivers

James Halliday, The Australian Wine Companion 2011

Savoury smoky spicy aromas give way to a palate with surprising varietal character in a savoury black olive mode, supported by well-judged tannins. Over delivers. 88 Points

Pleasant, easy finish

Peter Forrestal, Quaff, 2010

From its base at Red Cliffs on the Murray-Darling, Deakin has produced this soft, round and approachable merlot with texture that is almost velvety and a pleasant, easy finish.

Nice softness and complexity

Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly, 31 Aug 2009

It tastes earthen and mulberried and leathery/gamey. It has some twiggy elements too. It's a pretty good drink though it's a touch on the weird side too. Maybe it's the developed characters making me think this. Maybe it needs to be consumed with food. Nice softness and complexity in any case. Rated : 85 Points

Good value drinking

Graeme Phillips - 14/09/2008, Sunday Tasmanian: Fruit of the vine

A restrained nose followed by a fruity mid-weight, palate, plums with a touch of spice, everything nicely in balance, providing easy good value drinking.

Under ten dollars and overly delicious

winecurrent.com - 01/07/2008, www.winecurrent.com CANADA

Spice, cedar and dark berry fruit aromas open this silky smooth approachable red. Medium bodied and nicely balanced, youll find oodles of rich ripe black plum flavours on the palate and lingering finish. There are also notes of ripe cherry and spice. This offers an incredible quality-price ratio, it's under ten dollars and overly delicious.

Surprisingly complex

Nigel St John and Jason Purdie - 31/01/2009, Burnie Advocate, The Masters Apprentice

Thirsty Work Master: This is a really competitively priced wine with consistent quality, if people arent sure they can grab a bottle at this price and give it a go. Its good Basic Stuff. Threes a range of varieties through this label and its wort

89 Points

Mike Frost, Courier Mail

This good value red shows cherry and dark berry fruit on the nose and palate with a touch of oak and soft tannins. Try it over the next year or two with lamb, pork or lighter game dishes. 89 Points

Genuine varietal character

Jeremy Oliver - 10/01/2007, Australian Wine Annual 2008

This nicely balanced wine of genuine varietal character reveals meaty, earthy aromas of dark plums and cherries over nuances of leather. Moderately firm, long and powdery, its pleasingly long and vibrant palate of dark and deeply ripened fruit is framed by fine tannins, supported by sweet vanilla oak and finished by refreshing acidity.