From the vineyard planted by the Wilson family in 1994 in Maungawera Valley, Wanaka. This is the second of the bottles that I had put away, but decided to drink one last year, which I gave a score of 91/100 to – hence my thinking it was time to drink up. This bottle a good deal fresher. Sealed under cork, in great condition.
An opaque garnet red in the glass, some ageing showing in a browner edge to the rim. Exquisitely varietal on the nose, with aromas of red cherry, plum, blackberry, dried herbs, dark chocolate, mushroom and peat. Clean and zesty with acidity still striding through the palate. Plenty of toasty oak and fine, chalky tannin complete the spine, leaving the fleshy fruit to shine. Secondary flavours of forest floor, hedgerow, roasted root vegetable and over-ripe strawberries develop and show a gentle edge of maturation and development in bottle. Lovely balance of plushness and elegance in the long, dry finish. 95pts
