St. Nesbit Merlot Cab Franc Petit Verdot 2010

NZD$150.00

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Tasting Note: Elegant, restrained, complex with huge ageing potential. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Two years in mostly new French oak and a further four years resting in the bottle. Benefitting from particularly favourable vintage conditions, this Bordeaux-style red blend is plush and opulent – concentrated cassis and savoury-spice aromas prelude a palate that has developed some beautiful truffle and earthy notes from bottle age. Velvety and lengthy, and still with a long life ahead of it.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Variety: Merlot blend

Region: Karaka, South Auckland, New Zealand

“2010 was my overall favourite. Very “Right Bank” Bordeaux-like (yes, I know it has a Left Bank composition of grape varieties), with a great texture and appealing fruit sweetness balanced by fine tannins. I suggested that they should consider releasing the more forward 2011 St Nesbit before the beefier 2012 vintage. Sam agreed and was keen on holding back the 2010 until 2020 for no better reason than it seemed appropriate from a mathematical point-of-view.” – Bob Campbell MW

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St. Nesbit

St Nesbit started in 1980 when Tony and Petra Molloy purchased 11 hectares of land on the Hingaia peninsula. Planted in 1980, St Nesbit won acclaim from its first vintage in 1984, producing an elegant red wine that achieved classic status and won several gold medals. The vineyard lies in the shelter of the Drury Hills at Karaka, 30km south of Auckland, surrounded by an estuary on the Manukau Harbour.

St Nesbit was the first to import Petit Verdot into New Zealand from France in the late 1980s, after a long struggle with the New Zealand authorities. Since then it has proved itself by consistently producing intensely flavoured berries which add significant structure to their wine.

2007, 2008 and 2009 were very good vintages while he described 2010 as a “dream vintage”. They fared pretty well in the very challenging 2011 vintage thanks to a rigorous selection.

--------THE GRAPE--------

Bordeaux Red Blend

This is the most famous red blend of them all: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Just like in Bordeaux, where this blend originates from, you will almost always see Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the blend, too. Each grape brings its own special element to the overall wine be it acid, tannin, colour or aromatics.

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