93Points

“This is a big-boned, plush Bordeaux-style blend housed in a disappointingly heavy bottle. What’s inside, however, is classic Hawkes Bay, complete with aromas of brambly berries, graphite, dried herbs, black olives and crushed violets. There’s a glossy, cola-oak sheen as a backdrop. The palate is a well of velvety fruit and granular, herb-flecked tannins. There’s a touch of alcohol heat and toasty oak, but overall this is a sturdily structured wine meant for the long haul. Drink through 2035. Cellar Selection.”