Puriri Hills Harmonie du Soir 2012
$120.00 inc. GST
The season is at hand when swaying on its stem
Every flower exhales perfume like a censer;
Sounds and perfumes turn in the evening air…
– Charles Baudelaire, Harmonie du Soir (1857)
Accolades:
95/100 – Bob Campbell MW
5 stars – Michael Cooper
“A blend of merlot 50%, carménère 25%, cabernet franc 13% and malbec 12%. Silken and quite oaky wine that appears to have benefited from bottle-age in both texture and complexity. Layers of spice, floral and berry fruit flavours. An extraordinary wine from a difficult vintage endorses the practice of rigourously sorting grapes. Drink 2021 to 2028.” – Bob Campbell MW
“The 2012 vintage, currently on sale, is a blend of Merlot (50 per cent), Carménère (25 per cent), Cabernet Franc (13 per cent) and Malbec (12 per cent). Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, savoury, complex and supple, with concentrated blackcurrant, plum, spice, herb and nut flavours, finely balanced and long. A highly Bordeaux-like red, it’s delicious now, but will also reward cellaring.” – Michael Cooper
Tasting Note: 50% Merlot, 25% Carmenere, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec. Fewer than 2400 bottles produced. Harmonie du Soir (“Evening Harmony”) refers to Baudelaire’s reflection on sensory magic, the condition of all natural elements being in harmony for a brief moment, which is certainly appropriate for such a magical wine. Deep ruby red in appearance, the nose is aristocratic and generous, with bramble, spice, mocha and graphite. It’s silky-smooth and immensely chewy on the palate, which pulsates through to a resounding, lengthy finish. Though there were plans to release a Pope from this very good vintage, the fruit was eventually reclassified, so Harmonie du Soir represents the highest quality imaginable of 2012. Cellar with confidence through 2030.
Winemaking Notes: In the winery, bunches were 100% destemmed and 80% crushed into oak cuves or stainless steel open-top fermenters. Ferments were cold soaked for 4-5 days to allow wild yeast development, then inoculated with oenological yeasts. Total time on skins ranged from 3-4 weeks depending on the varietal and the character desired. Free run wines were put to barrel and marc was lightly basket pressed. All wine was barrel- aged in French oak, about 87% new, for ca. 26 months before final blending. It was bottled under cork on the estate and aged in bottle for five years before release. Wines from 2012 are lighter and more delicate than the 2010 and 2013 vintages but very elegant and aromatic.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Variety: Bordeaux blend
Region: Clevedon, New Zealand
Out of stock
