From a vineyard that borders the old Waiheke island airstrip, comes this bold youthful red, with a few years in bottle, ready to go. Labelled Cabernet-Merlot, but I’m guessing that there’s a few varietals filling in the gaps here – a classic Bordeaux style blend. The colour is a deep carmine ruby, but the strongest element here is the nose – intensely aromatic, leaping out of the glass. Ripe, juicy and potent, with boysenberry, blackcurrant, old leather, eucalypt, vanilla and doris plum, with a lift of floral rose and cherry blossom. Accessible and broad, with a core of succulent fruit, braced with toasty oak and carried along on a breeze of fresh acidity. Tannins are nicely integrated and svelte – it is a lovely harmonious drop with hardly a hair out of place. Easy going and generous but elegant and characterful too. A sweet, lengthy finish awaits. 93pts
Dunleavy ‘The Strip’ Cabernet Merlot 2018
