A red blend from Takapoto Estate – made from fruit grown in Waikato, at their vineyards by Lake Karapiro. A departure it seems from the last edition I tried – the 2018 reviewed here > www.winefolio.co.nz/?p=6228 which appeared to be led by Cabernet Franc. The varietals listed here are (in order) Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Cabernet Franc – so a proper red blend!
An inky, purple-red in the glass, lighter to ruby at the rim. Youthful, punchy aromatics of damson, graphite, cassis, green peppercorn, sage and cherry on the nose. Plush with fruit, framed by generous oak and spicy, fine tannin. Great flow from vibrant acidity and quite concentrated in this edition – firm, meaty and sinewy. Layers of herb, earthy forest floor, and spice add to the complexity. Quite a different beast from the ’18 and a big step up in weight, but still has enough elegance with that complexity to compel you on to another glass. 93pts
