“Te Motu” The Island is from Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf. The vines were first planted in 1989, with the first vintage of Te Motu being produced in 1993. The producer is now into its second generation of the Dunleavy family.
2014 was a great vintage with a warm and dry spring setting things up well with good fruit set and crop levels. Welcome levels of rain in December were followed by warm, dry weather which allowed the fruit to fully ripen. Harvest was completed by mid April. Sealed under diam.
Transparent pale ruby which surprised me as I was expecting a wine with more colour. Blackberry, bracken and cedar with a hint of nutmeg and chrysanthemum on the nose. In this vintage the crop was thinned early and late which has lead to a wine with firm grippy tannins, some powdery cedar notes and despite the lightness of colour this is certainly a powerful, intense wine.
Concentrated blackberry and blackcurrant with background charred oak characterise the flavour profile. Fresh, vibrant acidity cuts through the concentration with a pronounced lengthy finish. Secondary characters are to the fore at the moment although expect this to age very well and be very attractive as it moves into a tertiary phase in 10 years or so. Concentrated yet elegant, especially as it opens up and benefits from decanting. 95pts
