Vidal ‘Legacy’ 2016 Chardonnay and 2013 Cabernet Merlot

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

• Vidal ‘Legacy’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 28-Aug-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, pale straw-yellow colour. The nose is very fine and fragrant, showing white florals and stonefruit aromas, along with delicate nutty notes, and nuances of gunflinty and minerally reduction. The nose is very poised and balanced, showing refinement and finesse. Medium-full bodied, the palate is elegant in proportion, but possesses lovely intensity and penetration. The flavours of stomefruits, florals, nuts, flint and minerals balanced and interwoven, showing subtle sweetness and richness. The fruit, barrel-ferment and minerality are balanced with very fine acidity and the wine flows along a very fine-textured line. The wine carries to a very ling and sustained finish. The finesse and balance lends surprising accessibility, but this will age 4-5 years easily. Clone 15 Chardonnay from the ‘Lyons’, ‘Keltern’ and ‘Kokako’ vineyards, hand-picked, WBP and indigenous yeast barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 12 months on lees 43% new French barriques and partial MLF. 28 barriques made. 19.5-/20 Aug 2017 RRP $54.99 Bright, light straw-yellow colour with pale green hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is soft and elegant with harmonious and well balanced aromas of white stonefruits and white florals, with subtle flinty and mineral reductive complexities, and some nutty oak. This is very elegant and exudes finesse, building in intensity and depth with aeration. Medium-full bodied, the palate features rich, lively and vibrant fruit flavours of white stonefruits, white florals and subtle notes of citrus fruit entwined with refined flint and mineral complexities. The palate is finely concentrated, forming a delicately textured phenolic-threaded line, enlivened by crisp, lacy acidity. The flavours are pristine, showing drive and linearity, leading to an elegant, sustained finish of stonefruits, nutty oak and minerals. This is a fresh, bright, youthfully elegant, but rich and intense, complex-detailed Chardonnay with stonefruit, nutty oak and flinty minerals. Serve with seafood and poultry over the next 5+ years. Clone 15 Chardonnay from the ‘Lyons’, ‘Keltern’ and ‘Kokako’ vineyards, hand-picked, WBP and indigenous yeast barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 12 months on lees 43% new French barriques and partial MLF. 28 barriques made. 19.0/20 Jul 2017 RRP $54.99
• Vidal ‘Legacy’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013
  Cabernet Sauvignon from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 28-Aug-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Full, even, dark ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues. The bouquet is beautifully elegant and proportioned with deeply intense and finely concentrated aromas of ripe blackcurrants and cassis liqueur with black plums, along with fragrant dark herbs and floral elements. Medium-full bodied, the palate I one of power, drive intensity and linearity allied to taut elegance, finesse and stylishness. The flavours of ripe blackcurrants, blackberries, plums and cassis show with vibrancy and vitality. The fruit is underlined by fine-gained, powdery tannin extraction, and the mouthfeel enlivened by fresh, lacy acidity, which enhances the sweetness and carries the wine to a sustained finish. This has great balance, elegance and vitality, and will age 10-15 years. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot from the ‘Anthony Vidal’ and ‘Omahu Gravels’ vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine spending 27 days on skins and aged 19 months in 50% new French oak barriques. 525 cases made. 19.5/20 Aug 2017 RRP $64.99 Very dark, even black-hued purple-red colour, a little lighter on the rim. The bouquet is well-proportioned with beautifully ripe aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit along with black plums, cassis and aromatic, pencilly oak. The fruit is vibrant and still youthfully primary in expression, but balanced and harmoniously interwoven. Medium-full bodied, the palate is rich and lusciously ripe with sweet fruit flavours of blackcurrants, blackberries, cassis and black plums, along with sweet and spicy oak notes which enrich the vibrant fruit. The palate is elegantly concentrated with a fine firmness, with powdery tannin extraction along with enlivening acidity. This flows with good energy and vitality to a concentrated and long, lingering finish. This is a beautifully elegant, concentrated and rich, vibrant Cabernet/Merlot blend with blackcurrant, blackberry, cassis and plum fruit on a fresh, lively, very fine-textured palate. It remains youthful in expression. Match with roast lamb and beef over the next 9-10+ years. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot from the ‘Anthony Vidal’ and ‘Omahu Gravels’ vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine spending 27 days on skins and aged 19 months in 50% new French oak barriques. 525 cases made. 19.5-/20 Jul 2017 RRP $65.00 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot from the ‘Anthony Vidal’ and ‘Omahu Gravels’ vineyards, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 19 months in 50% new French oak. Very dark, deep, purple-hued ruby-red colour, lighter on the edge, and youthful in appearance. The nose is very refined with fragrant blackcurrant fruit entwined with plum and liquorice layers, lifted by oak vanilla, unveiling violet floral notes. The aromatics build in intensity and detail with aeration. Medium-full bodied, rich, lush and spicy blackcurrant fruit flavours are lifted by sweet vanilla-like oak, and unfold layers of exotic plum fruit, liquorice and floral elements. The juicy and opulent fruit and oak flavours are underlined by very fine-grained tannins lending elegant structure and grip. The wine flows smoothly to a very long, lush, exotic nuanced finish. This is a rich, plush-fruited Cabernet/Merlot blend with exotic, vanilla-like oak and fine, smooth tannin structure. Match with lamb and game meat over the next 10-12 years. 19.0/20 Oct 2015 RRP $69.99