Merlot
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2023
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Spaghetti bolognese, grilled pork chops, roasted chicken
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted by the Casella family in Yenda, New South Wales, the [yellow tail] Merlot represents a modern milestone in making wine friendly and accessible to the global palate. Drawing on a rich family heritage that began when Filippo and Maria Casella emigrated from Sicily to Australia in 1957, this wine is sourced from select vineyards across the vast South Eastern Australia region. The warm climate and fertile soils of this zone yield grapes with intense fruit concentration and soft tannins. To preserve its vibrant, primary fruit character, the wine undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, with minimal oak contact. The result is an incredibly smooth, easy-drinking red that captures the sunny, laid-back spirit of Australian winemaking, characterized by lush flavors of ripe plums, dark cherries, and a hint of sweet spice.
🍾 About the Producer
Established as a family winery in 1969 by Sicilian immigrants Filippo and Maria Casella in Yenda, New South Wales, Casella Family Brands reshaped the global wine landscape in 2001 with the debut of [yellow tail]. Conceived by Managing Director John Casella, the brand disrupted traditional wine marketing through an unpretentious, fruit-forward ethos. Fruit is harvested extensively across the broad South Eastern Australia viticultural zone, drawing primarily from sun-drenched, warm inland riverine corridors like the Riverina and Riverland, defined by red sandy clay loams, hot continental summers, and canal irrigation. Modern, large-scale, temperature-controlled stainless steel vinification preserves direct varietal typicity, lively freshness, and soft, low-tannin profiles. Backed by full Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification across winery sites and grower networks, [yellow tail] remains anchored by benchmark varietal bottlings including its vibrant Shiraz, approachable Cabernet Sauvignon, crisp Pinot Grigio, and aromatic Moscato.
🍇 Grapes
Merlot
🍷 ABV
13.5%