The Basket Press red blend is only made in years where the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest is good enough – just a dozen times in the long history of Clearview Estate. Comprising Cabernet Sauvignon from Gimblett Gravels, with Merlot and Malbec from Te Awanga; it is a brooding, dark colour in the glass. Intensely perfumed, with the classic scents of those varietals, plus a spiciness from the 100% new oak treatment. Blackcurrant, plum, elderberry and a gravelly minerality on the nose. Dense and ripe – with the oak, fine tannin and buoyant acidity working in tandem. Still a baby, the structure and depth suggest a long life ahead if well-cellared. The finish is plush, juicy and long. 95pts
Clearview Estate ‘The Basket Press’ 2015
