2020 Grace Akeno

A Bordeaux style blend made from 63% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with maturation taking place in French oak. Totally opaque black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Nosing draws out delightful red currant, mulberry and subtle violet aromatics which are intermeshed with dusty cedar, tobacco and bay leaf notes. Supremely elegant and finessed the mid weighted palate is decorated with red currant and mulberry fruits which overlay dusty vanillin cedar, tobacco, subtle black olive and infusions of bay leaf. Beautifully balanced fine grained tannin structure with a long refined conclusion.
Drink over the next 8-10 years.
Alc. 13%

Other Reviews…..
Merlot 63%, Cabernet Sauvignon 28%, Cabernet Franc 8%, and Petit Verdot 1% It’s the 100th anniversary wine from Grace.
Raspberry, dried cranberry, quite spicy with cinnamon and clove, charcoal, some sundried tomato, kombu and pepper. It’s medium-bodied, cherry and plum, nutty grainy tannin, distinct savoury spice, but also quite a ‘mineral’ thing with some ripe tomato tang, yet sweet squished strawberry vanilla flavour too, and a finish of excellent length. It’s umami, yet there’s something of a strawberry Kit Kat sweetness in the mix. and gee, I really like it all up. A very different expression of these grape varieties, but really good. Drink 2023-2029+
95 Points
Gary Walsh – The Wine Front