To continue on from where we left off despite the fact I've just spent all day touring the vineyards of the Hawke's Bay....
Puriri Hills Reserve Merlot 2005
We tried this a few days after it was opened yet it was still displaying an opulent, ripe nose of plummy fruit. Elegant and subtle yet still layered. Ripe cassis, chocolate and saddle leather alongside fine integrated tannins. Not a shout-y wine. Beautiful instead.
Kingsley Estate Cabernet Merlot 2000
This is all gone now, as far as I know. But this was such a delightful wine. Managing to be all things to all people. So smooth that for the unintiated it was easy drinking whilst for the afficianados of New World Bordeaux styles it was silky and complex. The only derogatory comment I ever heard leveled at it was that it was "beautiful, but too French".....
Unlike, (apparently...)
Blake Family Vineyard 'Redd Gravels' 2004
The first realease from this vineyard. 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc. So whilst quite similar to the Puriri in make up it is not as deep and more direct. Less silky plum and leather and less roundabout. More manly? Definitely more grippy tannins.
So we've been tasting a lot. You need to when even your 'knowledgable' customers will drink half a bottle of badly corked Dry River Pinot Gris 2006. We went ahead and tried that tonight (a different bottle) and it was stunningly textural with all that Alsace oiliness all over but lacking discernable fruit flavour. For whatever reason I was enjoying a wine I'm normally not that fond of in the shape of the Cloudy Bay Te Koko 2004. It's presenting a very floral nose with a tropical, creamy palate. Fruit custard in a glass.
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