Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Merlot 2006
Produced By Mills Reef Winery Ltd
Tasting Notes
Deeply coloured and offers intense aromas of blackcurrant and berry fruit, perfumed violets and a hint of mint with chocolate caramel, coffee and cinnamon. The palate is rich and full bodied with a fusion of blackcurrant, berry, liquorice, black olive, dark chocolate and coffee flavours and a hint of cedar.
Winemakers Notes
Hand picking of both varieties took place on April 20th and 24th at an average of 24.5 brix. They were destemmed and the berries gently crushed, then cold-soaked for 5 days prior to ferment.
The Cabernet Sauvignon was 60% fermented with a selected yeast in an open-top fermenter, whilst the remaining 40% was fermented with an indigenous yeast in integrale barrels. The Merlot was 100% fermented with a selected yeast in an open-top fermenter. Both varieties were plunged twice daily and fermented out to dry. The wines were cold-macerated post ferment for enhanced concentration, than pressed to quality French oak barrels (53% new and 47% 1 and 2 year-old barriques) for 16-17 months aging. Bottling took place on December 18th under cork closure.
Viticulture Notes
This distinguished Hawkes Bay red is made from ultra-premium grapes grown on close-planted low-yielding Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines in our Mere Road Vineyard, situated in the heart of the renowned Gimblett Gravels district.
Technical Details
Vintage: 2006
Variety: Bordeaux Style
Region: Hawkes Bay
Alcohol: 14%
TA: 6.15g/lo
pH: 3.57
Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Merlot 2006
TiZwine Accolades
RatingRatingRatingRating
A good nose of ripe berry fruit with a hint of tobacco and leather precedes reasonable fruit flavours that has good richness. The tannins are tight and concentrated and the finish clean.
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