REVIEW
Tantalus ‘Evoque Reserve’ Waiheke Island Merlot/Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc 2014
Blended Red from New Zealand – Northland & Auckland
Review Date - 26-Jul-2016
18.5/20
Very full, very dark, deep, black-hued, purple-ruby colour,
near impenetrable, and youthful in appearance.
This has a full nose with initially reserved aromas of ripe dark-red and
black plum fruit, along with blackberries and spices, unfolding to reveal
blackcurrants and cassis, with green olives, dark herbs and sweet oak. The fruit is vibrant and the aromatics build
in intensity with aeration. Medium-full
bodied, the palate features bright and succulent fruit flavours of ripe,
dark-red and black plums with aromatic and spicy blackberries. The fruit is supported by fine-grained tannin
extraction and grip, and the mouthfeel is energetic with lacy acid
tension. This has very good linearity
and the wine carries to a long, sweet-fruited finish with some oak vanillin
lift. This is a rich and succulent
Merlot blend with dark-red plum and black berried fruits, along with balanced
sweet oak and a fine-structured palate.
Match with roast game meat over the next 7-9+ years. A blend of 86% Merlot. 8% Malbec and 3% each
of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, fermented to 14.0% alc., the wine aged
11 months in 60% new French oak barriques.
18.5/20 Jul 2016 RRP $60.00
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