Does this winery make a bad wine? If so I've yet to taste one. Esk Valley have a wide ranging portfolio, including what was the only planting of Verdelho, until the sneaky tykes at Villa Maria poozled some, somewhat to Gordon Russell's chargrin?
But it was the 2004 Merlot that emerged from the cellar to go with Dad's roast lamb.
Upon opening this is all savoury, leathery cedar with dormant fruit but after an hour in the decanter it brightens up to purple notes of plums and smoke. The tannins so smooth as to be almost indistinguishable but for all that it is a plush, plump wine. A wine that defied my expectations as I'm starting to find many 2004 Hawke's Bay reds showing signs of too much vintage heat and too little restraint. However after that initial prune-y whiff the Esk Valley demonstrates an underlying freshness. Comfortable rather than impressive but who doesn't like a little comfort (or a lot?). a 3 (ah go on 4...) glass wine.
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