Gem Hawkes Bay Merlot 2006

The grapes for this wine were picked from the Western point of the red metals in Hawke's Bay and bled of juice to concentrate fruit and tannin before beginning ferment. It was hand plunged several times a day to achieve ideal tannin and colour extraction, then pressed to French oak barrels - 40 percent new - where it underwent 16 months maturation to allow softening of tannins and marriage of fruit and oak. Currants and blackberry are layered amongst chocolate, leather and cloves. Hints of smoky spice sneak through the middle palate with a little violet and black plum lifted by firm fine grained tannins.