Community Tasting Notes 16

• kfrench150 Likes this wine: 94 points

  February 17, 2024 - Under perfect cork. Decanted off chunky sediment. Pours deep maroon with a very dark core. Rich plummy, blackberry nose, slightly smoky, suede, graphite and a touch of black raspberry and currant. Even after a hour in the decanter it still needs coaxing but then reveals a lot of ripe black and purple fruits. Full bodied with huge fruit extract, still lots of tannins, good acidity, long, dry, fruit filled finish. Palate is juicy, ripe plums and blackberries, graphite, charcoal, black currant, bitter chocolate and black mulch. Still seems young, but well integrated and super lovely! Easy 94 points!

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• apple1813 Likes this wine: 93 points

  May 15, 2023 - 2016 Craggy Range Sophia nails a precise balance of floral perfume and earthiness. The developing Gimblett Gravels Merlot blend is clear and deep ruby with traces of fine sediments. Aromas of violet, blackberry and black plum are followed by mint and dark chocolate. On the second day, complex notes of earth and pencil shavings emerge.
  
  On the palate, it is dry and verging full-bodied, with a medium level of balanced acidity and a medium-high level of plush tannin. Pleasant flavours of ripe black plum and bramble transition to graphite, tobacco, mocha and Pu'er black tea in a long, smoky finish. The 13.5% alcohol is admirable for a Merlot-based wine in the warming globe. The empty bottle weighs 994 grams. The winery representatives say the more recent vintages are bottled with lighter bottles, which are more logistically and environmentally friendly.
  
  It has definitely gained tertiary complexities compared to the previous tasting three years ago, while having the potential to further develop over the decade. Though I have tasted different vintages of this cuvée multiple times, its elegance and precision as a Merlot-blend still amaze me.
  
  The blend is composed of 58% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fully hand-harvested at a relatively low yield of 34 hectoliters per hectare, the grapes are completely destemmed. The wine is aged in 45% new French oak barriques for 18 months.

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• mnrando Likes this wine:

  May 5, 2023 - RdV varietal class.. favorite of 3. Comes from very small region of warm climate in northern NZ.
  
  Will last another 7-10 years but beautiful now!

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• JensAgo Likes this wine: 93 points

  November 7, 2022 - Superb, well-structured Bordeaux blend from Craggy Range and Gimblett Gravels! Beautiful dark, dense purple in the glass. Still youthful on the nose, dark-fruit led. Bright, engaging blueberries and blackberries, distinct graphite, violet. Excellent purity, savoury palate packed full of of dark and red fruit. Sturdy, firm but elegant, ethereal style. Well-balanced structure, lots of energy, upholstered velvet tannins. Great fruit and tannic-edged finish. 13.5% abv- reminiscent of an old-school claret in style!
  
  International Merlot Day 2022

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• mrgarreth Likes this wine: 90 points

  August 9, 2022 - Decanted for a good six hours in a young wine decanter and it really did need that time to open up. On the nose, there was plenty of blackberry, cherry, raspberry and plum, some minty notes and dried rose petal. It’s showing some good development, with leather and prune notes. There are plenty of tannins but they’re smooth - the wine has a velvety mouthfeel. There’s loads of fruit and smoke on the long finish.
  
  It’s very New Zealand in style.

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Pro Reviews 5

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2016
• Type Red
• Producer Craggy Range
• Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
• Designation Sophia
• Vineyard n/a
• Country New Zealand
• Region North Island
• SubRegion Hawke's Bay
• Appellation Gimblett Gravels

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 260 (83%)
• Consumed 52 (17%)

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