New Zealand's most prestigious reds are characterised by price, packaging - often heavy bottles, large punts and long, good quality corks, concentration, structure and potential longevity. Such wines can be tough to approach for the first year or two but three or four years allows them to mellow and integrate.
BEST VALUE
$20
Three and a half stars (out of five)
Good value
Tempranillo is a red Spanish grape and this oozes attractive, soft, spicy red fruits with dark undertones, a slight smokiness, a hint of toffee and a crisp firm, finish.
$25
Three and a half stars
Average value
Typical of Hawkes Bay syrah, this is peppery with bright red berries, dusty oak, an exciting edge and a lively, fresh finish. Bright and very drinkable.
$49
Four stars
Below average value
There's a lot of oak here which initially conceals the peppery aromas, but it settled to reveal a densely flavoured, concentrated wine filled with ripe red fruits, a firm backbone and fresh, slightly dusty tannins on the finish.
about $100
Four and a half stars
Below average value
This dense, youthful Hawkes Bay syrah dances in the mouth with bright red fruit and a lively edge. There's a hint of bark and dusty tannins that give texture and structure but the overall impression is of harmony, especially after it had been open a while.
$73
Four and a half stars
Below average value
Dense and powerful with generous but not overwhelming fruit suggesting dark spicy plums, youthful tannins that will mellow with two or three years bottle age, and a long, harmonious, fresh finish. A fine cabernet Sauvignon from the Gimblett Gravels.
$150
Five stars
Below average value
Dense and concentrated, powerful but with lovely velvety fruit - dark berries and a hint of blackcurrants but with a firm backbone, it is beautifully balanced with supple tannins and the structure for the long haul - a good 10 years will possibly see it drinking at its best. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon and 42% merlot from Hawkes Bay.
ANOTHER GLASS
Craggy Range Sophia 2011
$73
Four stars
Below average value
A blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon from the Gimblett Gravels, this oozes soft, ripe berry fruit with a hint spicy plums, a nuance of chocolate and just a suggestion of pine needles. It's mouth-filling, textural and well balanced with a long aftertaste.
