• French oak
• Plum & spice
• Leather
• Ripe tannins

"This is beautifully composed and expressed, showing blackcurrant, mixed berry compote, violet and cedar characters with a hint of tobacco complexity. It's succulent, plump and flavoursome on the palate, delivering excellent weight and silky mouthfeel, leading to a lengthy flavoursome finish. A blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. At its best: now to 2024" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2020

This red is a Merlot predominant blend that includes smaller proportions of other varieties to add further complexity and palate interest. The leather and plum aromas of the Merlot combine with spice and red fruit characters of the Cabernet family. Richness and soft, ripe tannins make a serious yet eminently drinkable wine.

A red blend of 32% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Malbec, all grown in Gimblett Stones and Tin Shed vineyards.

2018 was a very warm early season in Hawkes Bay with a very warm, humid late summer and autumn. The perfect environment to produce rich, supple and delicious ripe robust red varietals.

Each individual vineyard parcel was harvested separately and then gently de-stemmed prior to fermentation. Subsequently, gentle daily pumping over of the skins during fermentation helped extract a soft, complex structure. Following fermentation, the skin maceration was extended for up to 4 weeks to further integrate and soften the tannins. After 15 months aging in a combination of small French oak and stainless-steel tanks, the individual blocks were blended to create the ideal wine.

Food Pairing: It can be enjoyed with a wide range of different flavored food.