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Mills Reef Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2020

$26.99$291.49 inc GST

Reserve wines are from low-yielding vines producing superior grapes showing intense fruit flavours and pure varietal expression. The winemaking philosophy is to achieve “balance” of flavour, structure and texture.

Reserve wines are more complex than the Mills Reef range and by matching them with food can greatly enhance your dining experience.

A rich full bodied wine, this traditional blend exudes intense blackcurrant, blackberry and plum flavours, layered with mocha, cassis and spicy cedary oak. Ageing in quality oak has conferred a velvety smooth texture, providing the blend with great structure and length.

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Description

Reserve wines are from low-yielding vines producing superior grapes showing intense fruit flavours and pure varietal expression. The winemaking philosophy is to achieve “balance” of flavour, structure and texture.

Reserve wines are more complex than the Mills Reef range and by matching them with food can greatly enhance your dining experience.

Additional information

Weight 1 kg
Amount

Single Bottle, Case (12 Bottles)

Wine Review

Medium deep crimson. Very attractive inky blackcurrnat, dark plum aromas with hints of dark chocolate/cedar. Fresh pure juicy blackcurrant, dark plum mulberry fruits, fine slinky/gravelly textures and some cedar notes. Finishes claret firm with a lovely tannin plume. 14% alc Drink now - 2030. 95 Points.

Gimblett Gravels 2020 Annual Vintage Selection

Dense, almost inky red with cassis, mint, black olive and white pepper. Obviously the product of a top vintage, showing perfect ripeness while retaining energy. Good value at this price. 92 Points.

Bob Campbell, MW ONZM

The 2020 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (77 per cent) and Merlot (23 per cent), grown in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for 18 months in French oak hogsheads (35 per cent new). Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, with strong red berry, plum and spice flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, lively acidity and fairly firm tannins. Fresh and energetic, it's worth cellaring to 2025+.

Michael Cooper - MA ONZM

Food Pairings

Well matched with BBQ Moroccan Lamb Loin and Tabbouleh salad.

Vineyards and Winemaking

The grapes for this generous wine were exclusively sourced from low yielding vines from the prestigious Gimblett Gravels region in Hawke’s Bay. The 2020 growing season experienced ideal weather conditions, consistently warm days over an extended summer and autumn allowed for perfect ripening conditions for harvesting in excellent condition.

Separate parcels of Cabernet and Merlot were gently crushed, whilst also allowing some whole berries to remain intact. The must was transferred into open-top stainless steel tanks for a cold soak of an average three days duration. Fermentation was then initiated, followed by daily rummaging for colour, flavour and fine tannin extraction. The resulting wine was then aged for 18 months in quality French oak hogsheads (35% being new wood), with one racking during élevage.

The final blend was composed, comprising 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, from a rigorous barrel selection. Judged to have already attained perfect harmony, to only require a light fining, the wine was gently filtered to preserve the wines full natural complexity, structure and flavour profile. Bottling took place on 18th January 2022 under screwcap closure.