2016 Craggy Range Sophia Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay

Deep, quite youthful red/purple colour. The bouquet is spotlessly clean, fresh and bright, showing classy oak and properly ripe fruit. The wine is concentrated, full- bodied and powerful, with density, great structure and superbly ripe fruit flavours. A majestic wine. It's a baby, and all it needs is a bit more time.

His is really seductive on the nose and already gives an impression of plushness with regal, violet-like florals, plums and mulberries in abundance and all nicely ripe. Additional notes of cedary oak and freshly tilled earth. The palate is full and fleshy and the tannins compose nicely as it builds. Cabernet takes the lead through the long, impressive finish. A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Long aging potential. Drink in 2022.

While the 2016 Sophia is an impressive blend of 58% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, in the context of the Craggy Range Prestige Collection, it has to be considered a weak link. Dried herbs frame black cherries on the nose, while the mid-palate of this medium to full-bodied wine lacks the rich degree of texture shown by the winery's other top bottlings. The dark fruit flavors turn crisp on the finish, ending in a flurry of tart cherry and cranberry flavors.

Næsten Sort. Intense bærnoter. Solbær, brombær, lakrids, peber, tobak og vanilje. Flot koncentration og en flot seriøs, krydret vin. Lang afslutning. Man tænker umiddelbart Bordeaux i høj klasse.