Old Coach Road Malbec Cabernet Franc Merlot 2020

85 Points (4 Stars) - Wine Orbit, June 2023, New Zealand

Vineyard: Seifried Clover Road and Brightwater vineyards
Sugar at Harvest: 23.2°Brix
Date of Harvest: Late March - early April 2020
pH of Wine: 3.45
T.A of Wine: 6.2g/L
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes

The Clover Road and Brightwater vineyards are both situated 15 km from the coast and are sheltered from the south by the Richmond Ranges. The ‘soil’ is a combination of rocks and boulders which is very hard on farm equipment, but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun and for ripening the newly established vines.

This soft, easy drinking wine is a blend of three classic varieties. The grape varietal parcels were harvested as they ripened and fermented on their skins separately. Fermentation occurred over three weeks with punch downs occurring twice daily to help build up the core structure from which this wine would evolve. The wines were then aged separately in French oak barriques to impart spicy oak flavours.