Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet

“Rich red plums and some leafy notes, as well as a blackcurrant edge.  The palate has rich, sweet blackcurrant flavors, fine and easy tannins and a sweetly spiced finish.”
90 POINTS – JamesSuckling.com, Jan 2021

“Full-coloured and mouthfilling, this fresh, vibrant red has good depth of berryish, slightly spicy flavours, savoury, nutty notes adding complexity and a smooth finish.”
-Winestate Magazine, Nov 2019 issue

“Rich, ripe and distinctive – no mistaking the fruit concentration with and equal amount of oak driving the bouquet; dark plums, blackcurrant and even dark cherry aromas; mix of fresh and older oak with cinnamon and clove tones, quite complex overall. On the palate – Fruity, firm, youthful and dry, flavours of dark berries and plums, medium acidity and bold tannins, ripe balanced, lengthy and well made.”
92 POINTS
-Cameron Douglas MZ, The Shout/FMCG Business magazine, July 2016

“Full, even, dark ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is tightly bound with concentrated aromas of blackberry fruit, red plums and redcurrants, along with dark herbal elements and mint. The fruit is uncomplicated and primary in expression. Medium-bodied and elegantly proportioned, this has a good core of blackberry fruits frith blackcurrants and herbal notes adding interest. The fruit is pure and focussed and flows following a slender line, carried by fine, grainy tannins and fresh, balanced acidity, leading to a slim, firmly bound finish of currants and herbs. This is a slender Merlot/Cabernet with blackberried and blackcurrant fruits, herbs and a fine grainy structure.”
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, July 2016

“It is elegantly fruited on the nose displaying dark plum, spiced cherry, game and dried herb characters. The palate is nicely weighted and brightly flavoured with fine texture and chalky tannins. A friendly middle-weight red offering pristine fruit flavours with a pleasing dry finish.”
-Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz, July 2016

“Medium-bodied, ruby-hued blend with good depth of plum, spice and herb flavours, some savoury oak, and an early-drinking appeal.”
-Winestate Magazine, Nov/Dec 2016 issue

“Ripe, very fruity and very engaging bouquet with dark plum, black berry, violets and sweet toasty oak, youthful and primary. On the palate – juicy, fresh, loads of fruity and toasty oak, fine to moderate tannins, medium+ acidity, balanced and lengthy.”
-Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, The Shout FMCG, Dec/Jan 2017

“Fruity with liquorice.  Light, bright. Easy drinking. Full fruit and mid palate.  Red fruit.  A high drinkability factor.”
4 STARS
TOP VALUE
-Lauren Swift, WineNZ magazine, Winter 2017 issue

“A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruit two-thirds from the Gimblett Gravels and one-third from the company’s new Redmetals vineyard, the wine fermented to 13.0% alc., with 20% of the wine aged 6-10 months in barrel. Very dark, black-hued ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues. The nose is softly concentrated with a deep and tightly bound core of ripe black berry and plum fruits with subtle earth and mineral elements and nutty oak. Medium-bodied and elegantly proportioned, finely concentrated, ripe black and red berry fruits intermingle with spicy plum and nutty oak flavours. This is rich and sweet, the fruit balanced by fine-grained tannins at the heart. The structure and line carry the wine to a lingering finish with plums, boysenberries and redcurrants. This is an elegantly concentrated, fine-textured Merlot and Cabernet blend with sweet plum and berry fruit and spicy interest.”
4 STARS
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz

“A bouquet full of juicy reminders of plum, black cherry and wild blueberry and violets; mild oak and complexity. On the palate – dry, firm and youthful with flavors of red plum, black plum and dark berries – all laced with mildly spiced toasty oak and vanilla; medium tannins and crisp acidity.”
-Cameron Douglas MZ, NZ Liquor News/FMCG Business magazine, Feb 2015

“Nutty, spicy and flavoursome, in a tightly structured style with fresh, ripe fruit characters and a firm finish.”
-Winestate Magazine, Nov/Dec 2015

“The 2013 vintage offers fine value. Grown in the Irongate Vineyard and oak matured for six months, it is a deeply coloured, full-bodied red, packed and youthful, ripe, plummy, spicy flavour. Showing excellent vibrancy, depth and structure, it should mature well.”
4 STARS
-Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz

“We hear that 2013 was a cracker vintage in all parts of New Zealand, and if this wine is the shape of things to come, we’re in for a treat. Violet, dusty oak, plum, coffee. Medium bodied, ripe fleshy toothsome tannin, perfumed and fresh in the mouth – perky and ripe, but not overly so. Mesh of oak, fruit and tannin is spot on. Energy and charm. Will likely do a bit of bottle age. Excellent!”
– Gary Walsh, www.winefrontnz.com., 11 Feb 2014

“Very dark, near impenetrable black-hued, purple-red, very youthful. The bouquet is firmly intense with aromas of ripe dark raspberry fruit, along with blackcurrants and cassis, revealing a little fresh herb nuance. This is fruit-driven and showing lovely varietal clarity, without noticeable oak intrusion. Light-medium bodied, mild raspberry and redcurrant fruit flavours are supported by supple, delicately grainy tannins, and softly ripe, fresh acidity. The flavours are up-front, forward and primary, with a little robust extraction providing good mouthfeel, texture and weight. The wine carries to a dry, granular finish with some length. This is an up-front, grainy, light red with redcurrant and raspberry fruitiness. Serve with pasta, pizza, barbecued food and most red meat dishes over the next 4 years.”
4 STARS
17/20 POINTS
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondhanwinereviews.co.nz , March 2014

“Grown in the Irongate Vineyard and oak-matured for six months, this is a deeply coloured, full-bodied red, packed with youthful, ripe, plummy, spicy flavour. Showing excellent vibrancy, depth and structure, it should mature well. Fine value.”
4 STARS
-Winestate Magazine, Nov/Dec 2014 issue

“Brightly flavoured and fragrant, showing dark plum, blueberry, floral and subtle mixed spice notes. It’s succulent and flavoursome on the palate with silky texture and rounded mouthfeel, wrapped in fine, gently dying tannins. Very attractive and immediately appealing.”
4.5 STARS
-Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, www.wineorbit.co.nz, Jan 2015

“Attractive, vibrant red with juicy berry flavours and crisp acidity that give it a Chianti-like character. There’s also a hint of floral and black pepper adding extra interest. Good red offering value at this price.”
4 STARS
-Bob Campbell, www.bobcampbell.nz

“Medium garnet-purple, the 2013 Classics Range Merlot/Cabernet has a pleasantly plummy nose with some blackberries, pencil lead and baking spices. Medium Bodied, a little hard and lean in the mouth with a medium to long simple finish.”
-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, eRobertParker.com, #216 (Part 2) Jan 2015

“This has a vibrant and fresh nose with intense aromas of black and red currants, quite bold in primary expression, revealing a little leaf and stalkiness from cooler-spectrum fruit. Light-medium bodied, fresh flavours of redcurrants and blackcurrant leaf combine with herb and oak spice nuances. Good acid balance and soft, supple, background tannins provide an easy liveliness and sweetness. Light and gentle leafy, curranty flavours are moderately sustained on the finish. This is a fresh, supple Merlot and Cabernet blend with some well-managed cooler spectrum flavours. Serve with pizza, pasta and barbecued meat over the next 3-4+ years.”
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Nov 2013

“Well fruited and lively, the bouquet shows red plum, floral and subtle spice characters. The medium-bodied palate is smooth and supple with lovely fruit intensity and an elegant dry finish.”
-Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz , Sept 12

“68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon from the ‘Irongate’ vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.1% alc., the wine aged 6 months in seasoned French and American oak. Full, even, ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues, this has a softly full, moderately ripe nose of dark plums and fragrant dark red florals, along with some blackcurrant and herb notes, the oaking very subtle, but adding interest. Medium-bodied, bright, spicy dark red plum flavours show with some ripeness. The tannin extraction is the feature, resulting in a softly firm, dry mouthfeel. Quite fulsome on mid-palate, the breadth is enhanced by the soft acidity. The finishes dry and lightly nuanced. This is an attractive, sufficiently ripened Merlot-based wine with spicy plum flavours and a dry, textured palate. Match with barbecued red meats and casseroles over the next 4+ years.”
4 STARS
17/20
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Sept 2012

“Blended of 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Sauvignon from single Irongate vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels region, the 2011 Merlot Cabernet has a pale to medium garnet-purple color and aromas of red plums, red currant, mulberries and cherries with touches of loam, yeast extract and toast. Medium bodied with a decent concentration of red and black fruit flavors, it has a medium level of chewy tannins, refreshing acid and a medium-long finish. This easy-drinking style should keep to 2015.”
86 POINTS
-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, eRobertParker.com #203, Oct 2012

“A fairly typical 2011 Hawke’s Bay red with bright, fresh berryish flavours and good acidity. Perhaps a little lighter than average but very approachable wine for drinking now to the medium term.”
-Bob Campbell MW, www.bobswinereviews.com, Nov 2012