Irvine Wines, founded in 1980 in Eden Valley at the heart of the Barossa zone, has become synonymous with elegant, cool-climate Merlot. The 2020 Spring Hill Merlot was crafted from prime parcels delivering vibrant purity of fruit and balanced innate acidity. Nicely ripe but restrained, the wine was fermented with attention to texture and matured for 12 months in French oak, which lent structure and aromatic complexity without dominating varietal clarity. On the palate, it offers bright red cherry, plum and subtle red licorice, woven with dark chocolate, cedar spice and refined tannins. A lively, medium-bodied expression of Eden Valley Merlot, ideal for early drinking or short-term cellaring, with freshness and finesse at the fore.