A Merlot-dominated blend, shared with Malbec and Syrah this year, from Hawke’s Bay. A dark-set garnet in the glass, with juicy aromatics of of cassis, damson, mulberry and provencal herb notes. Succulent fruit flavours mingle with savoury characters of coffee grounds, tapenade, smoked peppers and bark. The tannins are fine-grained, aligning nicely with the toasty oak and a svelte texture, ensuring a harmonic depth. There’s a peppercorn and sumac spiciness to the finish, which shows good length. 92pts.
Elephant Hill Le Phant Rouge 2019
