The individual parcels of each variety, from each plot, were de-stemmed before a traditional warm fermentation, followed by extended maceration on skins. The resulting wines were pressed, returned to tank for malolactic fermentation, then run off to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak barrels for 11 months’ maturation before blending. The wines were regularly topped and racked, throughout maturation, blended and traditionally egg-white fined before bottling. The final blend is 47% cabernet sauvignon, 41% merlot , 12% cabernet franc.
Tasting Note:
Bright, intense magenta, with ripe wild blackberry, red plum, cherry cedar and rosemary all jumping from the glass, Estate Vineyards Cabernets/Merlot is fresh, rich and fruit-driven. The palate shows notes of ripe cherry, date and blackcurrant with an even and sustained weight throughout.
Consistently overdelivering, Estate Vineyards Cabernets/Merlot remains an ode to balance, ripeness and modern Hawke’s Bay fruit-purity.