A wine from the excellent 2019 vintage – grown in the Gimblett Gravels region of Hawke’s Bay. A Cabernet Sauvignon dominant red blend, with 7% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The perfume of a plush, ripe Cabernet is one of wine-lovers treats. Flush with blueberry, blackcurrant, damson, paprika, mint, cedar and graphite, it is varietally intense and precise. As befits the great vintage, the ripeness is written through the middle of this wine. Tannin is fine and textural, adding a rasp across the fresh acidity. A spice of toasty oak is here too, but is integrated and structural and will soften further with age. Elegant and not too heavy – medium-bodied and supple with a finish that has great harmony and length. Keep for ten more years. 94pts
Craggy Range The Quarry 2019
