2002 Craggy Range Merlot Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (12) Median Score: 88 points

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  2/24/2022 - Marc wrote: 88 Points

  Still taut and tannic after 20 years! Excellent rendition of a Hawkes Bay Bordeaux- style Ed, with a herbaceous edge that lifts the juicy and focused fruit. Intense, clean and direct, but there is also bottle age complexity, if not a transformation of the wine itself.

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  2/14/2017 - Marc wrote: 91 Points

  Drinking superbly at the moment. The wine is still vibrant, but has reached a beautiful equilibrium and sense of resolution. Gone is the hardness of its youth. Very ripe (for NZ), with very intense black plum-skin aroma and flavour. Subtle herbal notes add definition. The oak is fully subsumed into the fruit. While not the last word in transparency, I would try one now, if you have them, but bottles in this condition will continue to age of another 5 years, at least. This is outstanding wine and I am very pleased to see its progression.

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  3/25/2014 - salil wrote: 89 Points

  Very nice. Lots of bright red fruit up front framed by higher toned herbal notes and a trace of oak in the background with more savoury developed elements emerging with some air. It's quite polished and glossy on the palate, and while blind, I was wondering if this was a right bank Bordeaux.

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  3/3/2012 - Tangy1570 wrote: 88 Points

  Plumb, blackberries, black currant on the nose. Smooth velvet mouth feel, toasty oak, vanilla and slight tannin on the pallet. Continues to get better as it opens!

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  1/30/2012 - Marc wrote: 92 Points

  Great NZ merlot and an example of the benefits of cellaring. Close to unapproachable when first released, the wine is still contained, but offers very ripe, fresh purple plum aromas, fennel seed and leather. In the mouth, the wine has sur maturite elements but is very structured. The oak is fully subsumed in the fruit. A decade on and this wine is just starting to drink well. Bordeaux proportions but in a new world NZ style. This is transforming with age and will go (and improve) another 10 years, easily. 92+++

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View all 12 Community Tasting Notes

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