Red Blend 2011 – Black Market Deal #39435

Wines like this don’t come around very often. We can’t tell you the producer, but they’re a heavyweight for sure. Like many a Hawke’s Bay producer, they make wines in the spirit of Bordeaux. This is their top-of-the-range, Right Bank-inspired red blend. It’s a stunner upon release each vintage, but add in ten years of ageing in the winery’s cellar, and you’ve got something epic. The fruit still jumps out of the glass, primarily sweet plum and blackberry. Layered into that are the secondary characteristics that only careful cellaring can bring forth. You’ll find tea leaf, olive tapenade, licorice, and a smattering of dried herbs. The finish is lengthy with cleansing acid and chalky tannins. We’ll never see this specific vintage again at the ‘Fo (and maybe not any other vintage of this wine), so best to get in while we still have stock.

What is a Black Market deal?

Black Market deals are only made possible if we don’t reveal the maker’s brand on site. The wines are the genuine article – absolutely no cleanskins or fake brands, just dangerously good value. You won’t find out what it is until it hits your doorstep, but you won’t regret it. Just keep it on the down low.