2013 Villa Maria Merlot Cellar Selection - Organic

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 89.4 points

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  12/28/2020 - evanqian wrote: 87 Points

  Blind Tasting - Seven Year Itch - NZ 2013 full body red (Flat Bush, Auckland): Still clean flavours with fine structure, smooth tannins, all integrated, just less concentration than its peak time, like a clean old photo fading to slightly yellowish. I think 5-8 years is fair cellar time for this wine.
  
  2013 is considered the greatest vintage of Hawkes bay, and this one was blind tasted by Geoff Kelly in 2015, with top Bordeaux and other Hawkes bay reds, and rated 17.5+, very high comparing to Ch d’Armailhac 2009 18.0, Sacred Hill Helmsman 2011 17.5, Ch Clerc Milon 2009 17.0 ... GK thought it has 8-15 years cellar potential, but to this bottle, it’s obviously overestimated. However, I appreciate all efforts VM made to this organic wine, it reaches incredible quality with a price tag less than $20.
  
  Ap 5/5, Ar 11/15, Palate 16/20, Overall 3+2/10
  Total 87/100

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  11/29/2015 - evanqian wrote: 89 Points

  clean palate, pure, fruity. fresh acidity, savoury tannins, fine grained and grippy. subtle cedar and violet in savoury finish.
  
  Ap 5/5, Ar 12/15, Palate 16/20, Overall 4+2/10
  Total 89/100

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  11/16/2015 - evanqian wrote: 90 Points

  m+ depth garnet, slightly watery rim. ripe dark fruits in nose, with dry herbal and some perfume. super smooth texture, supple tannins, mouth-watering acidity, dark fruits, nicely sweet finish with subtle chocolate notes. very impressed on its purity and cleanness, truly best vintage ever, flawlessly made with entry level price tag (RRP NZ$18), I purchased 1 case @12.5/bottle on VM Cellar Door Sale, should cellar 5 cases for the next 5 years.
  
  Alc 13.5%, TA 5.7 g/L, pH 3.55, RS nil
  
  RC 18, MC 4 stars, GK 17.5+. Spiegelau 2014 Gold, NZIWS 2014 Gold.
  
  Ap 5/5, Ar 12/15, Palate 17/20, Overall 4+2/10
  Total 90/100

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  9/17/2015 - ThomasE Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Rich aromas of dark plum, blackberry blackcurrant and some earthy savoury notes. On the palate fruit driven, tannic but very soft and well balanced, shortish length, very enjoyable and certainly quaffable, will develop with time

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  12/4/2014 - garethb Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Perfectly balanced red fruit ripeness and fresh peppery acidity.
  
  Will last for a many years yet.

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