Saint Clair Hawke’s Bay 2015 Premium Viognier and 2014 ‘Block 17’ Merlot

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

• Saint Clair ‘Premium’ Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2014
  Viognier from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 06-Sep-2016

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, even straw-yellow with lemon-green hues. The nose is soft and full with up-front and voluminous aromas of exotic florals, citrus zest, yellow stonefruits and a suggestion of musk and herbs. The aromatics build in depth with aeration. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is soft-textured and gently unctuous, with moderately full flavours of exotic florals, stonefruits, tropical fruits, citrus zest and musk. The acidity is mellow, adding to the rounded mouthfeel. The flavours flow smoothly, blossoming as they carry to a soft, gently lingering finish of musk and tropical fruits. This is a soft, voluminous, aromatic Viognier with a smooth and unctuous mouthfeel, and flavours of tropical fruits, citrus zest and musk. Match with Middle Eastern fare over the next 2-3 years. Fruit from the ‘Plateau’ vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, dejuiced in Hawke's Bay and transported to the Saint Clair winery in Marlborough for vinification, the wine  fermented in tank to 12.5% alc. and 2.8 g/L RS. 17.5-/20 Sep 2016 RRP $21.50
• Saint Clair ‘Pioneer Block 17 – Plateau’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2014
  Merlot from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 18-Sep-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Full, dark, deep, black-hued ruby-red colour, a little lighter on the rim. This has a full and deeply packed nose with aromas of ripe black plums, blackberry and blue fruits, along with black ink, nuances of dark herbs, unfolding spices, and nutty, cedary oak. Full-bodied, the palate is rich with solid and dense flavours of savoury black plums, black berried fruits, nuances of blue fruits, entwined with black ink and secondary earthy notes, revealing spice elements and cedary oak. The flavours are rich and fulsome, and carried by grainy tannin structure and grip. The palate is solid and robust, and carries to a full, black-fruited, earthy, cedary finish. This is a fulsome and rich, robust Merlot with savoury black plum and berried fruits with ink, earth and spicy oak, on a well-structured palate. Serve with roasted and grilled game meat dishes over the next 6-8 yeas. Fruit from the ‘Plateau’ vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in American oak, 43% new. 18.0+/20 Sep 2017 RRP $37.90 Full, very dark, black-hued ruby-red with light purple on the rim. This has a full and softly packed nose with aromas of mulberries, blackberries and dark plums unfolding deep notes of liquorice, curranty fruit and nutty oak. Medium-full bodied, this is fulsome on the palate with mouthfilling flavours of ripe dark plums, mulberries and blackberry fruit along with a layering of nutty and spicy oak, unfolding nuances of herbs and currants. The sweet fruit is underlined by fine-grained, dry, mouthcoating, soft-textured tannins providing balance, with integrate, softly ripe acidity. The wine leads to a juicy, plush and textured finish with notes of mulberries, plums and oak. This is a rich, mouthfilling Merlot with mulberry, plum, herb and spicy oak flavours on a soft, grainy-textured palate. Match with slow cooked game meat dishes over the next 5-7+ years. Fruit from the ‘Plateau’ vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in American oak, 43% new. 17.5+/20 Sep 2016 RRP $37.90