93 Wine & Spirits

Based on merlot (73 percent), this blend includes malbec, cabernets sauvignon and franc. These vines grow in the warmest and stoniest sector of Gimblett Gravels, a quarry left behind by 19th-century floods. In 2013, the vintage was warm and dry enough to build a luscious texture out of fully ripened tannins, while the fruit remains cool, with scents of fresh herbs and plummy brightness. It’s a refreshing contrast and a firm, juicy testament to Bordeaux varieties grown in the right place.

90 Wine Spectator

Plush and ripe, this red offers a sophisticated, elegant mix of blackberry, plum, spice and dried floral notes, with a touch of espresso. Features firm, velvety tannins and cedar and cigar box aromas on the finish. Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2025. 2,000 cases imported. –MW