Surging with dark & lush bramble & blackcurrant the nose gives way to a supple palate. A subtle river of violet & cigar box aromas stream through the mouth & onto the long finish. The tannins are rich but elegant & very complete. A fragrant Merlot to decant & enjoy tonight or cellar for up to a decade. Try with a gratin of grilled aubergine & spinach or a hearty roast lamb shoulder with kumara & parsnip. ...

This vintage of Syrah is all about fragrant aromas of violet, blackcurrant & raspberry with a hint of clove & earth. On the palate the soft core of fruit is beautifully framed by rounded & very integrated tannins. This supple body makes the wine very approachable. Long & intense drink now or cellar for six years. Try with rare grilled Venison or hearty barbequed lamb steaks. ...

Layered, complete & bold, this vintage boasts an alluring pastiche of fruit & savoury notes. The primary aromas of bramble & blueberry sit alongside spicy & mineral elements framed by fine oak. The rich, yet supple mid-palate moves with currant & violet flavours. Fine, polished tannins gently grip the palate through the very complex & persistent finish. Drink now until 2018
- Enjoy leisurely with your favourite red meat & companions.
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Limited stock. Crossroads Winery's signature wine, Talisman, is a secret blend known only to their winemaker, a unique embodiment of the very best wine Hawke's Bay vineyards have to offer. The secret blend of varieties creates rare complexity & harmony in this wine. This seamless interplay of different varietal flavours brings the palate to life, while supple, focused tannins frame the long finish. This is a wine you can enjoy on release or cellar for up to a decade. Talisman is a rich complex wine with aromas of cherry, blueberry, blackberry & blackcurrant on the nose. The palate is dense with plummy fruit & toasty oak & the finish is long & fine. Excellent match with beef steak, venison casserole or rabbit. ...

Limited stock. The Kereru road Vineyard rises from the Ngaruroro River as four ancient terraces, each distinct & varying in soil type. 2010 was memorable for its extended growing season & long autumn. With this extra hang time on the vine the Chardonnay fruit developed wit balance & intensity culminating in a harvest of terrific bunches. Soaring from the glass aromas of fleshy nectarines & stone fruit harmonise with subtle spicy notes, fine oak & a vibrant hazelnut note. The texture is broad & mouth filling with balance & concentration. A superb finish pulls all of these flavours together with great persistency & length. While very enjoyable now the fine acidity & balance will see this Chardonnay reveal new depths over ten years. ...

2009 was a superb season memorable for the duration & sunny warmth of its hazy Autumn. Early vine regulation limited crop to ...

Our Mere Vineyard is one of the driest in the Gimblett Gravels area. The warm, dry conditions during the critical ripening phase of 2009 season saw berries gain in concentration & intensity almost by the hour. The berries were small & few in number but extremely flavoursome. We only allowed one bunch per shoot to ensure further intensity. Our winemaker carefully managed the extraction process utilizing both pumpover & delestage techniques. This enabled us to capture the delicate aromas of this wine. Fermented as individual components the wines were drained, pressed off & settled before being run to French oak barriques where malolactic conversion occurred. Lifted with violet, dark chocolate, bramble & red currant nuances, the nose is vividly fragrant with varietal aromas. Once on the palate dark fruit characters are framed by taut, elegant tannins. Finely textured but well-structured, the palate leads into a long, elegant, aromatic finish. A striking red to enjoy with rare beef, now or after a decade in a cool cellar. ...

The millennium's first vintage was an excellent one with a damp then warm Autumn creating ideal conditions for gaining Botrytis on grapes with high sugar content. It is regarded as one of the best vintages from recent years, including the much prized 1972 & may even be on a par with the famed comet year of 1811. The wine is elegant & has an aopen nose of flowersand honyed dried fruits such as apricot. On th epalatethere are hints of chocolate, quince jelly & toasted hazlenuts. Fresh lively acidity & good length. Drinking beautifully. ...

Yellow gold. Youthful & exuberant nose of Seville orange & marmalade with layers of citrus, lime & honeyed fruit & flowers. Searing acidity underlying the intense flavours on th epalate. Will continue to develop well over coming years. International Wine & Spirit Competition 2008 Silver Medal ...

Profiting from the same ideal growing conditions as the 3 Puttonyos. The wine is deep yellow gold with an intense nose with impressive perfume & richness, with elements of brown sugar, caramel & apples. Huge caramel richness & sugar shows through on the palate with mouthfilling ripeness & intensity. Very long indeed with tremendous focus with clean acidity. ...