Hans Herzog Spirit of Marlborough 2002 (Merlot Cabernet Blend)

Marlborough, New Zealand

A blend of 60 Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Malbec.
This velvety, dark-chocolaty Pomerol-blend is lavishly rich yet elegant with great finesse and suppleness. Wonderful aromatic fruit flavours of sweet dark berries with hints of spices, liquorice, fresh hay and cedar add to the great length. Full-bodied with silky tannins and fine acidity, this wine is a remarkable candidate for extended cellaring.

ABOUT THIS WINE:
Handpicked at only 500g per vine from the warm, sandy, gravely soil of our single vineyard, the grapes benefitted from a very long ripening period and warm summer – both ideal conditions to ensure great complexity and full physiological ripeness.
A cold soak of 6 days enhanced the ripe tannins and deep colour, and the long fermentation that followed ensured optimum extraction and voluptuous texture before the must was gently pressed into French barriques (50% new) where it underwent malolactic fermentation. The wine was further aged on its fine lees for 30 months in the same barrels. We then bottled aged it for three years so you can start enjoying it from now and continue to do so over the next decade.
Only 250 cases were made of this boutique wine and bottled without fining or filtration.