Magna Praemia 2015

Vibrant, youthful and deeply coloured in the glass, the nose is an explosion of smashed blackberries and cherry notes with subtle hints of lavender and thyme. The first taste delivers the rich and generous berry qualities indicated by the aromatics and has fresh acidity supporting the fore/mid-palates while the oak is subtle and restrained in the shadow of the overall concentration. With a long finish, licorice and tobacco leaf notes, this wine will certainly unlock its true potential in the cellar for decades to come.

Much like the 2013 season, 2015 produced an excellent flowering. Hot and dry conditions persisted throughout the summer, interrupted by a few helpful, but moderate, rain events. Fruit development was superb and conditions allowed us to produce some of the best Cabernet we have harvested to-date. As a result the wines show dense concentration and the increased Cabernet yields enabled us to blend more Magna Praemia than normal. The vintage as a whole expresses more blue fruit characters than typical of Waiheke, but the cracking-clay soils still present the elegance and balance we have come to see here at Destiny Bay year-over-year.

10 months in 60% French Oak & 40% American Oak