Hawkes Bay Merlot 2013

GOLD MEDAL Smooth and silky in the mouth with ripe berry flavours, soft tannins and subtle oak characters.

Winemakers Notes

Hawkes Bay had a dream vintage in 2013 and the fruit that we harvested was in superb condition. This wine is made using Merlot from our Red Metals vineyard. The fruit was machine harvested on the evening of Wednesday 27 March and trucked overnight to Auckland. The wine went to barrel in September 2013 and received two rackings before it came out of barrel in August 2014. It received a light fining and was bottled in March 2015.

Analysis

Alc	13.5%
Acid	6.6 g/L
Res Sugar	2.5 g/L
pH	3.55

Tasting Notes

Colour:	This is a deeply coloured wine. It has an almost black core running to a deep purple-red rim.
Bouquet:	Opulent and ripe. Black Doris plum wrapped in some subtle, background oak.
Palate:	Rich and full, yet soft and round.

Cellaring
This wine has such softness and opulence that it is a terrific drink young proposition. However it also has a superb tannin structure that points to a wine that will age very well into the medium term.

Food Matches
The soft tannins and earthy flavours of merlot make it a great match with full flavoured meats such as lamb, venison, beef and game. Sauces that are not too rich will go well with this wine as will roast garlic and vegetables. Cheeses, both soft and hard are always good.

Suggested Wine List Description
Smooth and silky in the mouth with ripe berry flavours, soft tannins and subtle oak characters.

Independent Reviewer's Comment

Awards