‘Isabelle’s Ghost’ Merlot; the spirit of Millamolong
Millamolong Estate has recently released its 2009 Orange region ‘Isabelle’s Ghost’ Merlot, sourced from Millamolong’s 2.53 hectares of Merlot vines and made by Orange winemakers Chris Derrez and Lucy Maddox.
The Millamolong Merlot is named after a young girl that stayed at Millamolong’s Cobb & Co Coach house for the night during the late 1800s. It has been told that this girl, who was travelling with her lover, was murdered by him one fateful night whilst stopping over at Millamolong. It is unknown whether this jealous lover ever came to justice.
“The old Cobb & Co building is now part of our accommodation and a number of guests have encountered young Isabelle’s lonely apparition during their stay. Apparently she is quite affable, and takes a protective stance over the guests,” explained Millamolong’s Andrew Ashton.
The 2009 Merlot is only the second vintage made by Millamolong, which is only made in small batches. “As with the other vineyards in the region, the 2009 vintage was under pressure from the lack of rain,” mentioned Andrew, “Subsequently, we had to be very careful with our vineyard management, closely monitoring the number of bunches to ensure that there was not too much stress, and that the vines could ripen the fruit.”
Recently rocked by the tragic death of owner James Ashton, Millamolong Estate will continue to produce small batches of premium, Orange region wines, including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Merlot.
“Millamolong has been in the family since the 1930s,” explained James’ son, Andrew. “We are very proud of what Dad achieved, with polo, farming, tourism and wine, and are passionate about continuing his work.”
Pricing: 2009 Millamolong Estate ‘Isabelle’s Ghost’ Merlot retails for approximately $20.00.
More information can be found at www.millamolong.com or www.facebook.com/millamolong
For further information, samples and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine on 0414 736 342 or david@definewine.com.au