Esk Valley Black Label Hawkes Bay Merlot 2007

The wine is very deeply coloured and exhibits a nose of fruitcake, black fruits, plums and subtle oak. The palate is full bodied and soft with flavours once again of black fruits and chocolate, with a firm finish derived from fully ripened grapes.

 

Region: Hawkes Bay

Variety: Merlot

Producer: Esk Valley Estate Ltd

Merchant:

Winemaker Notes: Hand plunging the destemmed grapes in our open top concrete fermenters has ensured gentle colour and tannin extraction. Both tanks and barrels were used for malolactic fermentation, before aging in oak barriques for 11 months occurred.

Viticulture Notes: This wine is from vineyard sites on the shingle soils of Hawkes Bay's Gimblett Gravels. These warm and free draining sites are close planted and yields per vine are kept low to ensure fruit is fully ripened at harvest. Shoot thinning, crop thinning and leaf removal were all employed in the pursuit of quality.

Alcohol: 14% %

Residual Sugar: Dry

Total Acidity: 6.10 g/L

ph: 3.50

Cellaring: Although enjoyable as a young wine, it will develop complexity with time and can be cellared with confidence for at least 5 years.