150 Church Road,
Taradale,
Hawke's Bay
New Zealand
Ph: +64 6 844 2053
Fax: +64 6 844 3378
info@churchroad.co.nz
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©2006
This full-bodied, complex, barrique-fermented Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is true to the Church Road style.
Crafted from ripe Hawke's Bay grapes using traditional French winemaking techniques, this premium wine marries ripe, concentrated fruit flavours with spicy oak complexities.
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Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon 58%, Merlot 38%, Cabernet Franc 4%
Colour: Vibrant red.
Aromas: Lively berryfruit characters are complemented by spicy French oak.
Palate: The palate has a firm backbone of tannin, balanced acidity and ripe fruit flavours.
This wine will reward careful cellaring for up to six years. Over this time, the primary berryfruit characters will diminish, to be replaced by more complex flavours and aromas.
The outstanding 1998 vintage was considered by many to be the vintage of the decade. The growing season was 25% warmer and 37% drier than the 30-year average. Of particular note was the very low rainfall over the harvest period March to April.
Winemakers: Tony Prichard and Peter Hurlstone
Bordeaux-based winemaking techniques have been used in the production of this wine. Grapes were crushed to fermenters and the wine gently circulated over the skins for an extended period to extract colour, tannin and flavour. After draining from skins, the wine was encouraged to undergo malolactic fermentation in French barriques. The wine remained in barrels (1/3 new, 1/3 one-year old and 1/3 two-year old) for approximately 14 months to extract oak flavour, stabilise colour and evolve the tannins.
Alcohol: 13.5% by volume
Total Acidity: 6.0 g/L as tartaric
1992-1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001(Cabernet Merlot), 2002, 2003, 2004*(Merlot Cabernet)
* currently available vintage(s)
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