A sunny half day's drive brings me to Hawke's Bay for Harvest Hawke's Bay but first, a tasting at Askerne Winery with John Loughlin followed by a look (a euphemism for tasting) at Alchemy wines, now owned by Cairn and Rebecca Coghill, who purchased the brand from founder Neal Cave.

First up, John Loughlin, owner of Askerne, hosted an excellent tasting of his wines, all of which offer exceptional value for money. The Viognier is a great example of this because it over delivers on flavour and, dare I say it, the creators of the wine under charge just a tad for the privilege of drinking a complex, oak influenced wine for $26.90 a bottle. 

There is plenty more to follow on this afternoon's tasting and weekend ahead but for now, here are the two wines that stood out the most at Askerne cellar door this afternoon. 

Wines of the week

18.5/20

2021 Askerne Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec RRP $36.90
It's staggering to taste this smooth, layered expression of red wine, modelled directly on the best of Bordeaux' left bank, but at a fraction of the cost. 
Merlot is always the lead player in this blend and it adds a smooth approachable style but it's the firm direction of Cabernet Sauvignon's powerful dark fruit flavours that bring the depth and commanding presence to this wine, supported by Malbec's spicy notes in the background. 
Deliciously good drinking now and undoubtedly has ageing potential up its sleeve. 

18.5/20

2021 Askerne Dr John RRP $59.90
This dark and complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, is Hawke's Bay's answer to very good quality left bank Bordeaux reds. Its massive structure is tempered by fresh acidity and grainy tannins that sit in harmonious balance alongside aromas of black olives, dried herbs and blackberries. Smooth and layered now, it will age superbly with time in the bottle. 

More to come.