Bordeaux varieties - merlot cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot -either singly or in blends, make medium to full bodied reds with firm finishes. Most benefit from bottle age, and some of the best will develop for decades, mellowing, integrating and changing their character which makes them so interesting and sought-after.
Morton Estate Cellar Aged Hawkes Bay Merlot Malbec 2007, $24
Three and a half stars (out of five)
Good value
At four years old, this is nicely integrated and fragrant, with suggestions of spicy fruit cake,a velvety texture, firm, slightly dusty tannins on the finish with a juicy aftertaste and hints of dark chocolate.
Three stars (out of five)
Average value
Spicy with hints of stewed plums and warm red fruits, this is a simple, mellow wine with a crisp finish that's easy to drink.
Four stars (out of five)
Average value
Fragrant with hints of blackcurrant, toffee, spice and cedar, this oozes lovely, rich velvety fruit with hints of honey and malt; the complex aromas and flavours are integrated,concentrated and long, beautifully balanced with a long, satisfying aftertaste with fine-grained tannins. Drinking nicely but potential to develop with several years age.
Four stars (out of five)
Below average value
A blend of cabernet franc, merlot malbec and other Bordeaux varieties, this powerful young wine hints of smoky bacon, toasty oak and oodles of fruit, a silky texture and long, crisp finish.
It's still young and slightly gawky but its concentration and structure indicate it will mellow and develop with age
Four stars (out of five)
Below average value
From a winery just north of Auckland, this is a blend of merlot, malbec and cabernet franc- hence ménage à trois. It hints of mint, coffee, chocolate and savoury oak with suggestions of dark dried fruit - prunes, figs and dense, spicy fruit cake and finishes with firm, grippy tannins. A showy young wine with oodles of everything, that will, hopefully, mellow with age.
Four stars (out of five)
Below average value
A big, black powerful wine, young and brash at the moment, but with great promise. There'sbig peppery fruit, edgy hints of dried herbs, coffee, chocolate and spicy oak, but it's more about structure and texture than overt fruit, and finishes with big, tooth-gripping tannins. 10-15 years cellaring is recommended.
ANOTHER GLASS
Jacobs Creek Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, $21
Two and a half stars (out of five)
Below average value
I used to recommend the JC reserve range as good value, but this vintage is slightly vegetal and rough-edged, although there's lots blackcurrant fruit with a medicinal hint and a plain, dryish finish.
jacobscreek.com
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations.
