Cameron Douglas: Esk Valley Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2022

Esk Valley Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2022, Hawkes Bay RRP from $24.99.

From the Gimblett Gravels sub-regional GI of Hawkes Bay

The Wine:

Great colour concentration leading to a bouquet of ripe dark red berry fruits, blackberry and roasted plums, a mix of sweet and bitter chocolate, cacao and baking spices. The wood smoke from use of barrel adds complexity and depth. Dry with an abundance of ripe tannins and plenty of acidity for bite and freshness, West drinking from day of purchase through 2030.

The Food:

Great with moderate to high protein foods – from lamb to beef and even some roast chicken. Red meat, say a steak, that is cooked medium-rare has a lot more available protein on the palate than say one cooked to medium-well, or well-done. The rarer the meat the bigger and younger a red wine can be – the protein in the flesh and any juice that might ooze from it soften tannins in the wine making it seem smoother or softer.

The other consideration is the sauce and the seasoning: I don’t mean tomato sauce – though this is full of sugar and salt – I mean a reduction, a jus, or a cream=based sauce will all have a reaction with the wine.

One piece of advice – if you have a chili meter from 1 to 10, 1 being the least heat and 10 being the hottest of hot, don’t add chili spices to the food that is intended to go with red wine beyond a 3 or 4 on the scale. Chili turns the volume up on tannin and alcohol perceptions in red wine and can easily disrupt the flavours within the dish.

The season:

2022 was a very good year for wines from Hawkes Bay. With a warm and dry winter, and the earliest veraison in 30 years.

Then quite a bit of rain before 30+ degree days until harvest.

The wines that I have tasted are balanced, complete and will age through to 2030 for most and 2035+ for the rest.

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