{"product_id":"compassionatered","title":"Compassionate Red Dozen","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"54\"\u003eBrown Brothers Vineyard, Colbinabbin, Heathcote G.I.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"56\" data-end=\"89\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA lovely medium-weight and savoury dry red. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe perfect house wine this winter. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1745\" data-start=\"1420\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\" The story doesn’t influence the wine, but there is immense drinkability here. Restraint too, trim for the variety with an inward concentration, blue fruits, cassis, tomato juice, fennel and some rosemary\/bay leaf herbal influence. Spot on, restrained and ok in a more lean fruit vein. Indeed, the wine feels a little like ‘final condiment in the glass’ for rare red meats. It’s got freshness on its hand, and yet feels inky and supple too. Proper wine. Proper good.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1745\" data-start=\"1420\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e$12.50 a bottle? Fuck me…   93 pts \"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1745\" data-start=\"1420\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMike Bennie - The wine front \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"184\" data-end=\"187\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"637\"\u003eThe Compassionate Red is a once-off release from the now-ripped-out Brown Brothers site on Heathcote Rochester Rd. Originally set up with the help of Mark Walpole, it was a primo spot. They had made the fabulous decision to farm the site organically in 2022. The huge recent wine industry pressures led them to pull the vines and mothball the site in 2025.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"641\" data-end=\"814\"\u003eThis Compassionate Red – 2024 Merlot – is being sold exclusively in 12-packs via this website for $150 (about half price), with this entire amount being donated to my friend Wendy Oates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"641\" data-end=\"814\"\u003eOatesy was a teacher at my primary school, Winters Flat, where she remains famous for teaching with next-level kindness and ease with kids.\u003cbr data-start=\"957\" data-end=\"960\"\u003eHer classes always seemed to be having more fun than any other. I clearly remember seeing how the boys from the rougher and tougher homes would soften and warm in her presence.\u003cbr data-start=\"1136\" data-end=\"1139\"\u003eShe could often be found at recess out the front fence in the bus shelter finding some peace and quiet. \u003cbr data-start=\"1293\" data-end=\"1296\"\u003eShe was, and is, just awesome and is still adored by the current school community as she does regular relief teaching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1420\" data-end=\"1745\"\u003eOatesy, now in her late 60s, had rented her entire life up until inheriting her mother’s home on Coolstore Rd in Harcourt three years ago. Uninsured, the house was destroyed in the January 9th bushfires.\u003cbr data-start=\"1671\" data-end=\"1674\"\u003eThis wine will be sold to support her rebuild.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1747\" data-end=\"1750\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-section-id=\"183g9wc\" data-start=\"1752\" data-end=\"1764\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVineyard\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1766\" data-end=\"1879\"\u003eMerlot planted on a N\/S orientation, on a lower part of the vineyard where the red soils meet the richer loams.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-section-id=\"1drc2l0\" data-start=\"1881\" data-end=\"1895\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinemaking\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1897\" data-end=\"2085\"\u003eDestemmed and wild fermented in stainless steel with manual cap management for two weeks. The vigorous fermentations of 2024 meant we had lovely resolution in this shorter time on skins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2087\" data-end=\"2162\"\u003ePressed to stainless prior to year-long élevage in used French puncheons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2164\" data-end=\"2190\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eBottled late January 2025.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2164\" data-end=\"2190\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e------------------------------------------------------\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2164\" data-end=\"2190\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eThis project has been kindly supported by:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2164\" data-end=\"2190\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.mcclabel.com\/au\"\u003eMCC label\u003c\/a\u003e - Full donation of label print services. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2164\" data-end=\"2190\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cospak.com.au\/\"\u003eCospak\u003c\/a\u003e - Partial donation of boxes and dividers \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2164\" data-end=\"2190\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/14deg.com\/\"\u003e14 Degrees Logistics\u003c\/a\u003e - Discounted storage and packing rates. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Little Reddie","offers":[{"title":"Dozen","offer_id":43493303419047,"sku":"","price":150.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0585\/2066\/6279\/files\/LITTLE_REDDIE_WEBSTORE38377-WEB.jpg?v=1778311663","url":"https:\/\/littlereddie.com.au\/products\/compassionatered","provider":"Little Reddie ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}