TOP BORDEAUX VARIETY Passage Rock Generation Cabernet 2020 (Waiheke Island) - 8 $175 ★★★★★

THE WORD ‘GENERATION’ in this wine’s title is double edged. It’s regarded by the team at Passage Rock as a wine so good that it comes along once in a generation; something our judges clearly agreed upon, crowning it the Cuisine top Bordeaux variety for 2022. But it also references the families who worked together under extreme stress – the likes of which none of us had seen before – to ensure the grapes made it from vine to bottle.

Vintage 2020 is extremely highly regarded in terms of the quality of fruit, but there’s another reason why this vintage is burned into the brains of winemakers around Aotearoa. COVID-19 had hit our shores and the country was plunged into lockdown. The rules around ‘essential services’ were unclear and panic spread through the winemaking community as to how to get this pristine fruit off the vines and into tanks.

The team at Passage Rock rallied, rotating intergenerational family bubbles, each with individual equipment and appropriate distancing, putting in long hours to achieve their goal. Out of fear and uncertainty came togetherness and resilience. It seems entirely appropriate that from that came this magical wine.

Deep, bright ruby red in the glass with cassis, blackcurrant, redcurrant, Christmas cake and plum aromas fresh and pert against savouriness on this expressive nose. With the first sip you realise the complex nose could only hint at the delights ahead in this complex and nuanced palate. Rich, ripe and concentrated with incredible length, beautiful structure and perfectly balanced youthful tannin and oak. A classic for the ages.

2 / Church Road Grand Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Hawke’s Bay) ★★★★★ - 12 $40

Youthful dark berries, fresh plum with fragrant violet and subtle spice present balanced against a savoury brooding dark earthiness which provides complexity on this pristine nose. The complexity of the nose is mirrored in the fresh, fullbodied and succulent palate which has wonderful balance and superb length.

3 / Esk Valley Artisanal Malbec Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Hawke’s Bay)

★★★★★ - 9 $25

Beautifully brooding youthful blackcurrant, black doris plum and bramble abound on the nose which expresses the purity of fruit with just a hint of black pepper and spice. The silky and fine-grained oak tannins are well balanced against the fruit on the palate. This is a wine that demonstrates lovely weight and beautiful polish.

4 / Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2019 (Hawke’s Bay) ★★★★★ - 10 $50

Fresh and bright aromas of blackberries, red berries and blueberries mingle on the nose, nicely balanced by aromas of fresh herbs and black olives. The palate is intense and succulent with grippy tannin and juicy fruit acidity, all of which give remarkable length to this wine. Overall it is a wine that is youthful yet poised and well balanced.

5 / Orlando Jacaranda Ridge Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (Coonawarra, Australia) ★★★★★ - 11 $75

On the nose the expected characters of blackcurrant, blackberry and cassis are balanced by Christmas cake spices and an unexpected, but not unwelcome, licorice aroma. The palate is rich with dark chocolate and mocha characters fine-grained fruit tannins. Developing nicely in the bottle and drinking beautifully now, yet the fresh acid ensures it still has time to go and will reward time in the cellar. (C)

6 / Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Margaret River, Western Australia) ★★★★ - 7 $32

Mulberry, blackcurrant and cassis are balanced against savoury tea leaf and forest-floor aromas on the nose. The palate is complex and intriguing with bright cranberry juxtaposed against this forest character on the nose. Elegant and supple with great weight, drive and sublime length. (A)

7 / Passage Rock Reserve Cabernet 2020 (Waiheke Island) ★★★★ - 10 $80

An impressive wine, dark in the glass with expressive fruit, eucalypt, dried tobacco, rosemary, cassis and cherry on the nose. The fruit on the palate is aided by cedar and spice from the oak which, although powerful, is succulent and well integrated. A vibrant, rich and unyielding wine with spectacular length.

Brockenchack Single Vineyard Miss Bronte Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (Eden Valley, South Australia)

★★★★ - 9 $30 (G)

Caravan Petite Sirah 2020 (South East Australia)

★★★★ -5 $19 (D)