Mission Reserve Hawke's Bay Merlot 2020

Mission Reserve Hawke's Bay Merlot 2020French oak Sweet plum Dark chocolate Velvety finish "Wonderfully fruited and fragrant, the bouquet shows blackcurrant, sweet plum, smoked game, olive and hazelnut aromas, followed by a concentrated palate offering ripe fruit intensity with spicy nuances. Flavoursome and lingering with excellent complexity. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2022 "Medium deep crimson. Fresh dark plum, mulberry, dark chocolate aromas and flavours, fine

• French oak
• Sweet plum
• Dark chocolate
• Velvety finish

"Wonderfully fruited and fragrant, the bouquet shows blackcurrant, sweet plum, smoked game, olive and hazelnut aromas, followed by a concentrated palate offering ripe fruit intensity with spicy nuances. Flavoursome and lingering with excellent complexity. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2022

"Medium deep crimson. Fresh dark plum, mulberry, dark chocolate aromas and flavours, fine looseknit chocolaty tannins, underlying vanilla notes and long mineral acidity. Finishes velvety firm with plentiful sweet dark berry fruits. Impressively balanced wine. Drink now - 2034" Andrew Caillard, Annual Vintage, 2022

This wine is rich and fruit driven, with a velvety texture and a sweet spicy finish. Enjoy now or in the next 10 years

Selected from some of Hawke’s Bay’s finest vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels, this Merlot was matured in French oak barrels for 12 months before release.

Located on the east coast of the North Island, Hawke’s Bay wine region is one of the warmest winegrowing regions in New Zealand. The long and warm growing season provides for excellent ripening conditions and full flavour development.

Fruit was crushed to fermenter and inoculated with yeast for a warm fermentation. The grapes and must were carefully mixed each day for colour and once fermentation was complete they remained a further period on skins until the wine had gained its optimum texture before pressing. Further oak maturation produced a bright, fruit-driven, complex style.

Our award-winning Mission Reserve wines are expressive of their vineyards and barrel-aged for textural and flavoursome wines.

Reaching New Zealand shores in 1838, pioneering French missionaries founded a legacy. From their many accomplishments now interwoven throughout history came New Zealand’s first winery, Mission in 1851. The influence from generations of French-trained vintners remains in our small batch, barrel-aged wines. Their inspiration, a legacy we continue.