 Click for larger image | Vintage: 2005
Varieties: Malbec
Area: Hawkes Bay
Winemaker: Paddy Preston and Tim Preston
Alcohol %: 14 Awards: 4 STARS - Michael Cooper's Wine Buyer's Guide 2008 4 STARS - Winestate Magazine 2007 Tasting Note: The grapes for this wine were selected from two prized vineyards sited on stony free-draining soils in the renowned Gimblett Gravels of Hawkes Bay. Each vineyard was seperately harvested on 8th and 21st April respectively, when the grapes had attained ideal ripeness (average 24.2 brix) and flavour profile.
On receival at the winery, they were destemmed, crushed and cold macerated (for enhanced colour and flavour extraction) prior to fermentation. The wine was then aged for 15 months in new and one year-old French oak barriques and bottled on 21st of September 2006.
This striking mouthfilling wine is deep-purple in colour, with substantial body, complex aromas of blackcurrant, musky violets, leather, pencil shavings and concentrated flavours of plums, berries and spice. It is a superb example of luscious Malbec, beautifully balanced with fine-grained tannins, smooth, softly textured and a delicious long fruity dry finish. It has richness and structure to mature gracefully, but is already highly enjoyable.
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