KEW 2004 Malbec

NZD $22.00

Description:

Predominantly Malbec, with 14% Merlot added for extra fruit richness, this wine shows lovely white pepper notes and blackcurrant aromas, while the palate offers cinnamon spice and rich dark fruit.

The finish is warm and lengthy with hints of coffee and fruitcake. Something a little different from Merlot, which will compliment more spicy red meat dishes.

Viticulture:

Only 0.2 hectares of the KEW vineyard is planted with Malbec, which provides 6-7 barrels of wine. Spur pruned with two metre rows, canopy management is focused on vine health as this variety seems to suffer from nutritional deficiencies more severely than Merlot. Careful crop load management is also important to ensure complete physiological ripeness.

Analyses at harvest, 7 and 8 April 04;

Brix: 22.24
pH: 3.48
TA: 7.58g/L

Winemaking:

Hand harvested, this small batch is hand plunged four times daily, giving a gentle extraction of tannin and colour. Pressed on dryness, the wine is then racked to mature American barriques for MLF. After 10 months of maturation, this wine was lightly fined with fresh egg whites.

Analyses at bottling:

pH: 3.55
TA: 8.475g/L
Alc: 13%
RS: less than 1g/L

Latest Awards

Silver Medal Bragato Wine Awards
Bronze Medal Air NZ Wine Awards
Bronze Medal Royal Easter Show