Bay Harbour: September 16, 2020
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Wednesday <strong>September</strong> <strong>16</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
BAY HARBOUR<br />
PAGE 23<br />
Wine<br />
Depth and character<br />
reds produce<br />
increased drinkability<br />
• By Mark Henderson<br />
WINE LOVERS of<br />
a certain age will<br />
remember references to a<br />
characteristic called “Kiwi<br />
green”.<br />
No, I’m not talking about<br />
another mind-altering<br />
substance now under<br />
debate, but a pronounced<br />
green, leafy, capsicum<br />
note that was prevalent<br />
in cabernet-based New<br />
Zealand reds from the 80s<br />
and 90s.<br />
It is derived from a<br />
chemical compound called<br />
methoxypyrazine, which<br />
is also found in sauvignon<br />
blanc.<br />
Discussion during<br />
the tasting centred on<br />
the eradication of this<br />
character, with the<br />
increased drinkability this<br />
has given New Zealand<br />
reds.<br />
2018 Mills Reef<br />
Reserve Gimblett<br />
Gravels Merlot<br />
Malbec<br />
Price: $24.95<br />
Rating: Very good to<br />
excellent<br />
Attractive nose of dusty<br />
stones, earth and bonfire<br />
smoke with darker fruits<br />
emerging. Brightly fruited,<br />
boysenberry and plum,<br />
and a powerful smoky note<br />
with time. Medium weight,<br />
juicy with fresh acidity and<br />
an attractively dry, almost<br />
chalky mid palate. Already<br />
showing nice drinkability.<br />
www.millsreef.co.nz<br />
2018 Kahurangi<br />
Estate Regional<br />
Selection Hawke’s<br />
<strong>Bay</strong> Merlot Cabernet<br />
Price: $21.99<br />
Rating: Very good to<br />
excellent<br />
Subtle nose with hints of<br />
spice, blackcurrant, fruit<br />
pastille and a gravelly<br />
quality. Bold fruit-driven<br />
style with crunchy bright<br />
tannins that grow with<br />
aeration, adding a ferrous<br />
note over time.<br />
Showing its brashly<br />
youthful side now.<br />
A zesty style offering<br />
enjoyable drinking at a<br />
very fair price.<br />
www.kahurangiwine.<br />
com<br />
2019 Kahurangi<br />
Estate Monte Nelson<br />
Montepulciano<br />
Price: $24.99<br />
Rating: Very good to<br />
excellent<br />
Fragrant, floral nose,<br />
cassis, rose and raspberry.<br />
Boldly juicy and crunchy<br />
palate, a little grainy<br />
element to the texture,<br />
ripe dark fruits caressed<br />
by some nicely judged<br />
tannins.<br />
Youthful playfulness,<br />
a sweet raspberry cordial<br />
note countered by a<br />
tangy quality. Crisp, long,<br />
fruit-driven close. A lot of<br />
appeal.<br />
www.kahurangiwine.<br />
com<br />
20<strong>16</strong> Church Road<br />
Grand Reserve<br />
Hawkes <strong>Bay</strong> Merlot<br />
Cabernet<br />
Price: $44.99<br />
Rating: Excellent to<br />
outstanding<br />
Powerful cedary<br />
oak, intensely fruited<br />
with cassis, plum and a<br />
whisper of leaf.<br />
Silky and sumptuous<br />
palate before powerful<br />
tannins come rushing<br />
in; underlying this is<br />
sweetly ripe fruit, spicy<br />
nuances and hints of black<br />
tea.<br />
Built for the long haul<br />
yet approachable now with<br />
a long finish.<br />
Super stuff.<br />
www.church-road.<br />
com<br />
20<strong>16</strong> Pegasus <strong>Bay</strong><br />
Maesto Merlot<br />
Cabernet Malbec<br />
Price: $52<br />
Rating: Excellent<br />
Opens to fruit jube/berry<br />
jam, moving to plum,<br />
bonfire smoke and a funky<br />
earthy note.<br />
The palate mixes sweet<br />
fruit, spices, oak nuances,<br />
lead pencil, road tar and<br />
earth, subtly building<br />
tannins adding chewiness<br />
to the texture. An<br />
intriguing rusticity to<br />
this. This one plays<br />
with my head, yet the<br />
complexity and depth win<br />
the day.<br />
www.pegasusbay.com<br />
2018 Mills Reef<br />
Reserve Gimblett<br />
Gravels Merlot<br />
Price: $24.95<br />
Rating: Excellent<br />
Leaf mulch,<br />
blackcurrant, herbs, dusty<br />
gravel.<br />
Sweet fruit yet not<br />
overblown, featuring<br />
blackcurrant, leaf and<br />
earthy touches.<br />
Fine and elegant, a sort<br />
of Kiwi classicism with<br />
its medium weight, the<br />
fine tannins giving this<br />
structure to take this<br />
forward.<br />
Already showing<br />
excellent drinkability, yet<br />
potential too.<br />
www.millsreef.co.nz
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