PHOTO
Besides some superb cabernets, merlots and blends, the interesting thing about this tasting was the varying bottle weight.
The showy, broad-shouldered, slim-hipped bottles Craggy Range uses for its prestige wines weighted in at a hefty 1kg (without the wine).
At the other end of the scale was the 100g eco-friendly plastic bottle from Yealands which aims to be the world's most sustainable winery. A regular bottle weighs about 400-500g.
BEST UNDER $20
$17
Two and-a-half stars (out of five)
Average value
A simple, soft, undemanding red with a dry finish. Packaged in a lightweight, eco-friendly plastic bottle by a winery aiming to be the world's most sustainable, it shows an easy maturity at three years old.
BEST VALUE
$25
Four stars
Good value
A rich, spicy wine with generous dark fruit, hints of fruitcake, chocolate and even toffee, supported by supple oak, with a firm finish. Good drinking now but probably not for long keeping.
$22
Three stars
Average value
A juicy young red with restrained fruit, a lively edge and a firm, dryish, finish.
$22
Three and-a-half stars
Average value
With intriguing spicy aromas, silky fruit with hints of licorice and earthy undertones, this is a smooth, attractive wine.
$45
Five stars
Good value
Rich, concentrated and harmonious with hints of blackcurrants, blackberries, exotic spices and suggestions of cedar, a velvety texture with a firm backbone, beautiful balance and long finish. Delicious now, but will develop with bottle age.
$60
Four and-a-half stars
Average value
An impressive but elegant blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc in a weighty bottle, this hints of ripe plums, fruitcake and warm spices, the generous fruit cushioning the firm backbone. It's young and well worth cellaring to develop its full
potential.
ANOTHER GLASS
Man o'War Waiheke Merlot Cabernet 2009
$28
Three and-a-half stars
Below average value
With oodles of chewy, spicy oak and generous mouthfilling fruit _ prunes and dried fruit, a soft front and a firm finish, this is one for people who love full-on, oaky wines.
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels The Quarry 2009
$60
Four and a half stars
Below average value
Another impressive prestige red from Craggy Range in a heavy, showy bottle, a cabernet sauvignon this time. Spicy aromas with hints of mineral and blackcurrants, generous, velvety dark fruit cushioning the big but supple tannins. It's still a young wine, beautifully structured and harmonious with developing complexity that will reach its true potential in another few years.
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations. charmian.smith@odt.co.nz
Two stars - simple, clean, enjoyable wine; three stars - good wine with varietal characteristics; four stars - very good wine with some outstanding characteristics; five stars - outstanding wine with balance and harmony that leaves you with a sense of wonder.