Matawhero Church House Gisborne Malbec Merlot 2020

Description

• Spicy oak
• Plum & blackberry
• Baking spices
• Polished tannins

"Youthfully charming and fragrant with cassis, blueberry, violet, olive and roasted nut characters, it’s succulent and plump in the mouth offering beautifully flowing mouthfeel backed by fine polished tannins. Harmonious and elegantly structured, making it delectably appealing. At its best: now to 2030" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2021

"Ripe, fruity, varietal and attractive bouquet with aroma sof dark black berry and chocolate, violets and dark plums, toasty, spicy oak and baking spices. Complex, youthful and enticing. Youthful, taut and immediately enegaging on the palate. Flavours and spices mirror the bouquet accentuated and held in place by acidity and tannins. A firm texture with a mineral and salivating effect. Well made, but needing more settling, integrating time. Best drinking from late 2023 through 2030+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Feb 2022

Deep crimson. Lifted aromatic notes of Doris plum, dark fruits, chocolate, violet and dusty herbs. Big and fruity with hints of plum, blackberry, spicy oak and subtle herbs and spice. The wine has a big, ripe tannic finish.

The grapes for this wine are sourced from the Tietjen's vineyard in the Hexton Hills appellation of Gisborne. Grown on Kaiti clay loam soil and planted in 2009, the fruit is 100% leaf plucked around the fruit zone and only two canes are laid down to ensure good ripeness, colour and texture in the wine.

The harvest decisions at Matawhero are made after the winemaker and viticulturist concur that the grapes are flavour ready. After another good growing season in Gisborne, the Malbec achieved good ripeness. The grapes were machine harvested and tank fermented. The juice was then pumped over regularly to extract colour and tannin. The wine was pressed at dryness and underwent full malolactic fermentation. After 10 months maturation, the wine was filtered and bottled.

Food Pairing: Lovely with any red meat dish.