2015 Hans Herzog Spirit of Marlborough Merlot Cabernet, Marlborough

A blend of merlot (33%), cabernet franc (33%) and cabernet sauvignon (33%). Dense, flavoursome wine with cassis, fruitcake, liquorice, chocolate-mocha, spicy oak and dark berry flavours. Richly-textured with a backbone of ripe tannins. A very impressive wine from a very serious producer. 

95 points Bob Campbell MW therealreview.com

Hans Herzog Spirit of Marlborough Merlot Cabernet is one of New Zealand’s most quietly ambitious and distinctive red blends, coming from a single, meticulously farmed estate in Marlborough. The Herzog vineyard sits on the Wairau Plain, where free draining gravel soils, long sunshine hours and cool nights give Bordeaux varieties the chance to ripen slowly and evenly, building flavour, tannin and aromatic complexity without losing freshness.

Hans Herzog is a legendary figure in New Zealand wine. Trained in Switzerland and shaped by experience across Europe, he and his wife Therese planted their Marlborough vineyard with an extraordinary range of varieties, all farmed to exacting standards. The Spirit of Marlborough range represents the pinnacle of their work, made only in outstanding years and designed to show what is possible when site and patience are given everything they need.

This blend is built around Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, often with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, creating a wine of both plush fruit and structural backbone. In the glass, it shows blackcurrant, dark plum and blackberry, layered with violets, cedar, tobacco and subtle earthy spice. The palate is full bodied yet beautifully proportioned, with fine, polished tannins, bright acidity and a long, savoury finish that speaks of gravel soils and careful élevage.

This is a superb wine for the table. Roast beef, lamb, duck, rich sauces or aged cheeses all bring out its depth and harmony. It is also a wine that rewards slow, attentive drinking as it opens.

Hans Herzog Spirit of Marlborough Merlot Cabernet is built to age. Expect it to evolve gracefully over twenty to thirty years, gaining layers of savoury, truffle and cedar complexity while retaining its core of dark fruit and freshness. It is a true collector’s red and one of Marlborough’s most serious expressions of Bordeaux style winemaking.