Methode Traditionnelle

Chardonnay

Sauvignon Blanc

Aromatic

Dessert Wine

Rose

Red Wine
 

Vidal 2008 Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon

With Christchurch being badly shaken and the loss personally of a wine fridge, I decided this week to try a red wine primarily because it doesn’t need chilling, and secondly because I felt like something with a bit more body to enjoy with a grilled steak. My selection was the Vidal 2008 Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon from the sunny Hawkes Bay, another region in New Zealand that has suffered in the past from an earthquake.

The fruit for this wine predominantly is sourced from Vidal’s Gimblett Gravels vineyards, with the balance coming from surrounding vineyards of silt loam over gravel. The relatively recent alluvial deposits of gravel, sand and stone in the Gimblett Gravels region combine with high temperatures to create a low yielding and free draining environment for the vines.

Typically this region has a long ripening season which helps to ensure the fruit can be picked at optimum maturity. Vidal pays particular attention to vine health, yield restrictions and vine architecture throughout the growing season. They focus on creating an open canopy to encourage light penetration and minimise moisture retention.

True to Vidal’s philosophy, each block was harvested in optimum condition with good ripeness of flavour and tannin. At the winery, the fruit was also fermented and matured in their individual batches, to capture the distinctiveness of each parcel. Fully destemmed grapes were fermented and macerated on skins before being pressed and transferred to French and American oak barriques for malolactic fermentation. The wine matured in barrel for 14 months to enhance the character and flavour of the wine, while softening tannins.

I found the resulting 2008 Vidal Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon to exhibit the wonderful aromas of plum, cherry, tobacco and spice. On the palate, flavours of dark plum and red berries shone through with underlying notes of tobacco and hints of fresh herbs. It is a light and fruity red with supple tannins and a long lingering finish that went very well with my steak. It would accompany any other grilled meats just as well too I suspect. It is drinking well now and if cellared carefully should age gracefully for at least another four years.

Reviewed by Stephen Clark (20/9/2010)

>> Back to Wine Search <<