The concept of bottling Merlot as a sparkling wine came from the re-emergence of interest in effervescent Australian burgundy. Irvine has been aged in older oak casks to give maturity without much oak infusion, thereby lifting the Merlot characters in their own right. The elegance and richness of Merlot was such that it needed to be balanced by less than the usual liqueuring, hence the Brut designation. The dryer taste, the creaming of the bead, and the clear cut Merlot flavour all combine to give a truly individual sparkling red wine.

Envisioned after a great luncheon on the Springhill property and crafted from some of the best Merlot in Australia, right from the very first release, the aim was to make a wine of great joy. Very straight forward tirage, using standard yeast (EC1118) to highlight the Merlot character at its most flavoursome. It is not yeast character that is vital here but mousse and trueness of Merlot flavour, expressed in the best possible way. The liqueuring is critical as nothing must impinge on the Merlot flavour, it is sacrosanct. Each year the final liqueuring level will vary to maximise the Merlot flavour of the year, however in general terms the liqueuring is just enough to bring a tiny amount of softness to the finish.