2021 Church Road Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet

Brand	Church Road
Region	Hawkes Bay
Varietal	Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
Size	750ml
Alcohol %	13.5%
Vintage	2021
Country	New Zealand

Champion Merlot dominant blend at the 2024 Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards. Church Road has produced Bordeaux style Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon led blends since 1990. Superior vineyards & viticulture experience plus working in concert with highly respected Bordeaux producer Domaine Cordier, have culminated in another impressive red from the outstanding 2021 vintage. Only this time it’s their sub $20 Church Road Merlot Cabernet taking out the Champion Melot blend Trophy… WOW! A perfect blend of fruit off their Redstone and Bridge Pa vineyards producing a full-bodied red comprising of mostly Merlot with a dash of Cabernet. It spends 12 months in oak (come on, this is a sub $20 red, right?) offering further complexity and character, great upon release (decant for 30 minutes for best results) or even cellar for 5-7 years.

Rich plum and dark berry fruits with complex spice, sandalwood, violet and dried lavender, even a hint of Chinese red plum.

A backbone of fine ripe tannins embraces this serious, complex, classic Bordeaux style red laden with rich cassis, berry and dark chocolate driving through to the fulsome finish. A delicious red, powerful, concentrated, classical in style and utterly exceptional value drinking. Serve with your favourite red meats. For optimal drinking pleasure, the recommended serving temperature is 16-18 degrees.