New Zealand Cabernet among the best
Villa Maria - Ngakirikiri 2014
In early September 2020 - I was offered the opportunity to taste seven classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Among the lineup were first and second growth Bordeaux and fantastic wines from Chile, California, Australia, China and New Zealand.
All wines were tasted blind and briefly discussed before revealing what they were.
My notes for of the wines are below.
Villa Maria have released a short video showing some detail about the event - which can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/villamariawine/videos/788241108632763
In order of tasting
2015 Altagracia Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California. Incredibly youthful wine on the nose and palate with a mix of tart and fresh ripe berry fruit flavours - this contrasts the oak which is powerful, toasty and smoky. There is a floral charm, some violet and rocky earthy flavours as well as ripe and tart fruit flavours at the core. Youthful with tense forgiving tannins, medium+ acidity and a long finish. The alcohol is a bit distracting at 14.8% leaving some heat in the palate. Overall a lovely wine. 92 points RRP $300.00
2014 Chateau Pichon - Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, Bordeaux. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. A powerful core with a bold, rich core of aromas. There’s an equal intensity of fruit and oak with dark berries, earth and wood spices. Dry and weighty on the palate with ripe, polished tannins, plenty of youthful acidity and teeth staining inkiness. Warming alcohol is easily matched by the core of fruit and sweetness of oak. There’s a lengthy finish with a smoky lift. A delicious wine that simply needs time to integrate and harmonise. 93 Points RRP $460.00
2015 Almaviva, Puente Alto, Chile. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 18 months in new French Oak. Warm dark red fruits bouquet with a masculine almost meaty weight, some tobacco and minerality. As the wine warms and relaxes in glass the flavours of a gravelly earth then clean, bright black fruit flavours begin to show their power and intensity. Black berry, black plum, black cherry. Bold and very expressive on the palate with firm, ripe tannins, a lot of acidity and a lengthy tense and persistent finish. 94 Points RRP $200.00
2014 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 18 Months in new French oak, 39% new. Powerful, complex, varietal and intensely perfumed bouquet. Blackberry, black currant, dark plums and toasty almost sweet spice of oak. Violets and boot polish, clove and Asian spices, fresh cigar tobacco and and baked bell pepper. Full-bodied, complex and dry. Flavours mirror the nose, but double in concentration and detail. An abundance of fruit and wood tannins, medium+ acidity and a core of pure varietal fruit flavours. Young, still developing and will so for the next ten to fifteen years. Lengthy complex finish. 97 Points RRP $150.00
2014 Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix, Margaret River. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot. 18 Months ageing in 62% New French Oak. Immediately varietal with a core of herbaceous fruit centric aromas, oak spices and complexity. Floral and very enticing attractive complete bouquet. Dry, weighty and very youthful on the palate with complex firm tannins and plenty of acidity. An elegant core of ripe red berries and violets. As the wine opens up and after the third tasting an elegant, complex and delicious wine is revealed. 95 Points RRP $180.00
2014 Ao Yun, Yunnan, China. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Lots of intense earthy aromas first with iron, clay and friable soils then red fruits, violets, plums and cherries. Everything repeats on the palate with and intriguing mix of fruit and wood spices, red berry spices and sage-like herbaceousness. The character and flavour of Cabernet is strong and intense. Plenty of weight. Firm tannins with a coarse youthful texture, there’s a nut-like flavour - probably from the oak then a swing back to fruit and violets.. Dry to very dry on the finish. 93 Points RRP $475.00
2014 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Bold, rich, dark core, toasty smoky new oak. Ripe blackberry and dark plum with a sweet clove and dark flowers bouquet. A core of ripe fruit then elegant yet youthful seam of oak, tense vibrant tannins and plenty of acidity. The herbaceous layer of cabernet with sweet tobacco and a core of fruit drives the palate. As the wine begins to open up the elegant, complex and intriguing side of the wine begins to emerge. The wines finishes pretty, floral, fruity and varietal with a core of power. Lengthy finish - this wine just keeps getting better. 95 Points RRP $1,500.00
