NZ & International Bordeaux-Style Reds

June 18, 2024 (Cuisine magazine Issue 224)

Bordeaux-style reds continue to punch boldly, especially those born of New Zealand’s oldest wine-growing region, says MARY-THÉRÈSE BLAIR.

I think we’re all savvy enough to realise that, for the most part, marketing slogans need to be taken with a pinch of salt. That said, the tagline for Hawke’s Bay is ‘Great Things Grow Here’ – and that is right on the money. Year after year, this tasting of Bordeaux-style wines sees those from The Bay soar to the top of the list. This year is no exception. Twelve of the Top 14 wines hail from the east coast of the North Island. The mere fact that we have 14 (a good deal more than usual) is an indication of the sheer quantity of wines that were just so good the very notion of a mere Top Ten was left in the dust. This is the largest volume of awarded wines I’ve seen in this category in my time at Cuisine, which is exciting news for growers and imbibers alike.

top NZ & International Bordeaux-Style Reds

Church Road 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay)

There's a strong case for renaming this award ‘The Chris Scott Award for excellence in red-wine making’ because, for the past four years of this tasting, the top wine has come from the hallowed halls of Church Road Winery and has been made by a winemaking team led by Chris Scott. If a Church Road wine comes top again next year, there’s a real fear I may have exhausted all the things I could possibly say.

Different judges, different judging locations, different vintages, different wines. The one constant: the superbly talented Chris Scott, Chief Winemaker at Church Road in Hawke’s Bay. Chris started his career at Church Road in 1998 as a cellar hand and worked his way up to the esteemed top job by 2015. It’s undeniable that Chris is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated and awarded winemakers with an ability to craft wines using the very best of modern and traditional winemaking techniques that are layered, complex and beguiling. This single-vineyard cabernet sauvignon is no exception, with a beautifully deep and dense colour that reaches right to the rim of the glass, intense toast and spice backed by dried herbs and ripe dark blackcurrant aromas on the nose. The palate is bright and ripe with concentrated dark fruit flavours. Bold yet juicy with chalky tannins, robust structure, lovely linearity and drive. An intense yet extremely satisfying wine.

| $120
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  • Outstanding 8
  • Excellent 6
  • Very Good 23
  • Good 25
  • No Award 11
  • Total Entries 73

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