Levrier Wines by Jo Irvine, Art Collection Merlot

Cherry to brick-red in colour. The bouquet shows earthy tones layered with hints of violets, cedar and blackberries. Rested in a combination of new and older French oak. The palate reflects the bouquet along with subtle vanilla and cherry notes finishing with soft, balanced tannins.

Jo’s watershed came when father Jim sold the family winery and label, creating space for Jo to forge her own Irvine story. Launching Levrier Wines in 2018, Jo catapulted to success on the international stage. Crowned a Baron of Barossa and inducted into the Baron’s Grand Council, Jo is committed to championing the Barossa Region as well as 'the forgotten varieties of the Barossa.' Perhaps what sets Jo apart is her philosophy of allowing wines to reach full maturity and complexity in the barrel, using only French oak sourced from premium forests. We wait a minimum of five years before our wines are released – that’s a conscious decision, because we like to sell them when they’re ready to drink - I don’t manipulate much at all, because the less you meddle with a wine, the better the wine will be. Jo’s crowning glory came in 2018 with Levrier Wines named among James Halliday’s top 10 new wineries in Australia. In fact Levrier, a French word, honours Jo’s other great love – greyhounds.