A red wine from Matakana – a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec from their sloping north-facing vineyard of 1.5 acres. A dark, inky purple colour in the glass. Voluminously aromatic on the nose – boysenberry, plum, kirsch cherry, with clove, sumac, vanilla and rosehip. Displys a fine structure on the palate – a tag-team of well-aligned toasty oak, fine, chalky tannin and juicy acidity. European in style, but with New World plushness and fruit. Quite ripe and bursting with fruit actually. A savoury note of mushroom is there, in the shadows, too. A fine example of artisan winemaking – up there with New Zealand’s finest reds I’d wager. 96pts
Gillman 2009
