A wine from our “Lost Labels” evening this week – the vineyard in Karaka, South Auckland is now a modern housing subdivision. Made from Bordeaux varietals – Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and a stellar vintage in 2010. A beautifully floral perfume with violet, rose petal and lavender on top of dark plum, elderberry and mocha notes. Elegant and concentrated, with scarcely a hint of age as you taste – the fruit quite plush and silky. Structure seems the key here, with a seamless balance of juicy acidity, nutty oak and fine tannin at the core. Gradually some more savoury, secondary elements like mushroom, chestnut, roasted souk spices and tapenade come into view. This has years – a decade or more – to go before it hits the peak. Finishes dry, long and textural. 97pts
St Nesbit 2010
