Grape Variety: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, 15% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, 5% Cabernet-Franc

Growing Region: Waiheke, New Zealand

Chief Winemaker: Steve White

TASTING NOTE:
Stonyridge Larose is undoubtedly one of the world's finest red wines, it has been a real pleasure to have been so close behind the scenes over a number of years to see the attention to detail and subtle nuances each vintage brings and how the team at Stonyridge expresses each new wine. The grapes are all hand-picked and immediately taken to the winery, where they are crushed, de-stemmed, and pumped into stainless-steel fermentation tanks. A warm fermentation is followed by two week maceration before being basket-pressed, with malolactic fermentation completed in barrel. The wine is 100% oak-aged in French and American barriques for over a year, racked regularly, rarely fined, and never filtered.

The 2009 is packed with character and personality, already developing rich aromatics of spice, oak and dark fruits. The purity of dark fruits, the firm structure of the wine offer an insight to the way this wine will age. Rich textures fill the middle of the palate complimented by quality ripe fruit. The tannins and not shy but not offensive at all and when decanted became smooth. The wine is balanced even in its very youthful state, and an elegance that you would expect from a much more developed wine. The fruit is beautifully layered, a bounty of flavours - cassis, black plum, spice, dark chocolate and coffee with black truffle and the finish has great length and finesse. Decant for 2 hours and serve at 18C.

CELLARING POTENTIAL:
Drinking well this season; and will age for another 12-15 years.

SUGGESTED FOOD MATCHES:
Perfect wine match with venison, ostrich, prime cuts of beef with wine jus, enjoy.

One of the world's finest red wines.