Merlot-based, this is a typically outstanding Hawke’s Bay red from the Gimblett Gravels (mostly the company’s joint-venture Deerstalkers Vineyard). The wine spends its first year in mostly new French oak barriques, then another several months in new and older barrels. The 2011 vintage (5*), oak-aged for 16 months, is Merlot-dominant (82 per cent), with smaller portions of Cabernet Sauvignon (8 per cent), Syrah (7 per cent) and Malbec (3 per cent). Dark, mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, it is vibrantly fruity and savoury, with youthful, concentrated plum, spice and slight coffee flavours, oak complexity and good tannin backbone. Built to last, it’s a powerful wine, worth cellaring to 2015+. (Note: the price for Brokenstone has been reduced from $80 to $50.)
Details
Type: Red Wines
Variety: Branded and Other Red Wines
Vintage: 2011
Overall Rating for All Vintages Tasted: ★★★★★ – 5 Stars
Price: $50 NZD
Sweetness: DRY
Value for Money: AV
Buyer’s Guide Edition: 2015
This wine is a Classic.
When to drink: 2015