Paritua Stone Paddock Scarlet 2019

Reviews

Cameron Douglas MS: 93/100.  Youthful, dark fruited bouquet with scents of fresh Doris plums and chocolate, olive and tobacco, blackberries and marmite. Vibrant, fresh and enticing. Fleshy textures then firm tannins and acidity touch the palate first, flavours of dark plums and blackberry fruits, tobacco spices, clove and vanilla. Plenty of weight and texture cushioned by fleshy fruit flavours and textures. Well made, dry and lengthy. Best drinking from 2024 through 2034.

Bob Campbell, MW (The Real Review): 93/100 & Top Value. Gently aromatic and moderately rich, with dark berry, dark chocolate and mocha flavours. A nicely structured wine that is accessible now but promises to age well.

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit: 93/100. Beautifully ripe and fragrant, the wine shows blackcurrant, dark plum, thyme, toasted nut and rich floral aromas. The palate delivers excellent weight and bright fruit intensity, wonderfully supported by fine texure and polished tannins. Flavoursome and highly enjoyable. A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot. At its best: now to 2030.

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 92/100. Lots of dark fruits with pungent green bell pepper and sage followed by vanilla beans, bitter nuts and graphite minerality. Full-bodied and creamy, solid yet ripe tannins with refreshing acidity. Strikes a good balance between fruit and minerality. Give this more time to soften. Try after 2026. Screw cap.

Tasting Note

Highly scented black currants, blackberry, plums and chocolate aromas with hints of liquorice, cedar and fine spicy oak. The palate shows dark fruits dominated by blackcurrant and blackberry, a rich full flavoured mid palate supported by firm, ripe tannins, for a long and sumptuous finish. The oak influence is subtle and provides spicy notes and great structure.

Aromas and flavours

Additional information

Type: Red wine from New Zealand

Varials: 48% Cabernet Franc, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot

Suggested food match: Beef Wellington, Beef Carpaccio with crispy capers, summer BBQ.

Alcohol: 13.5% vol

Residual sugar:  <1 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Vineyard: Paritua Vineyard, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. The red varieties at Paritua are planted on free draining red metal soils. The vines are managed with an open canopy to provide good airflow and exposure to sunlight. All the canopies are single cordon spur pruned.

Vintage: The Island Blend is a Bordeaux style wine and is a blend of fruit from both Waiheke Island and its neighbouring Ponui Island. The 2019 vintage was dry and settled with wonderful balance in the vines.

Winemaking: All fruit is destemmed and crushed to closed fermenters. Some cold soaking takes place before ferment and fermentation is for approximately 10 days with regular pump overs to optimize extraction of colour, flavour and tannin. Daily assessment of flavour and structure determines when we press. The must is pressed when maximum flavour is achieved. We then keep each batch and variety separate during barrel maturation for up to 12 months. The wine is blended and fined and then filtered just prior to bottling.

Cellaring potential: 2026+

Closure: Screwcap

Produced and bottled by: Paritua Vineyards, 2112 Maraekakaho Road, Rd 1, Hastings, New Zealand.

To all Paritua wines