Fast facts:
- 2021 Elephant Hill Le Phant Rouge (Red Blend), Hawkes Bay, New Zealand ($13.97 @Costco, California, Item# 1888961)
Well this was a nice surprise…92 points and 1/3 off of retail prices elsewhere?
When wine consumers think of New Zealand wines, their minds usually go first to Sauvignon Blanc (the country’s most planted variety) and to a lesser extent, Pinot Noir. These two wine grapes love maritime climates and Kiwi country, the most southerly wine region on planet earth, has plenty of same on its southern and northern islands. On the latter you will find Hawkes Bay. Situated near the town of Napier, Hawkes Bay is the beneficiary of more sun, and therefore more ripening warmth, making it one of the best wine regions in NZ. All that warmth, with an assist from diverse soil patterns make this one of the few places there where winemakers can successfully grow old world red wine varieities.
This blend of interesting reds is what lead me to put a couple of bottles in my cart in anticipation of putting it to our test. It passed, with flying colors as the saying goes.
Tasting Notes:
Deep ruby-red, lighter on the rim. The nose is full of bright red fruit, cedar and spice aromas. Medium-full bodied, aromas of plum, mulberry and blackberry meld with savory, spice and cedar. Lovely, well-balanced and generous fruit. Smooth tannins. This red blend is approachable now and would age too. Match with burgers, soft cheeses and beef brisket over the next 3-5 years. ABV = 13.5%
The aforementioned blend is Merlot 40%, Syrah 36%, Tempranillo 14%, Malbec 8%, Cabernet Sauvignon 1% and Cabernet Franc 1%. Beyond the enticing blend of familiar red wines, there are also three sustainably farmed vineyards (Bridge Pa 53%, Gimblett Gravels 34% and Te Awanga 13%) which make it interesting as well. (The back label of this wine makes for interesting reading!) It affords the winemaker ample blending options. Voila! The result is a delicious red blend of old world red wine varieties from a corner of the new world.
Need More Wine Picks from Costco – or Trader Joe’s Even?
If your wine shopping excursions land you in Costco, prepare by grazing our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.
And if your shopping finds you at Trader Joe’s, you can find our Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.
Remember as alway, let us know if you find something you think we should know about. We will give you a shout out in our review for “sniffing it out” for us.
Cheers!
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