This is a great red from a small wine producer just outside the village of Clevedon, in the rolling green hills southeast of Auckland. It's an unlikely destination for a top red as there are few other vineyards in the area, which is warm with a maritime climate - the coast can be seen from the vineyard and is about a 10 minute drive away.  

The wines are made solely from estate grown grapes from the four acres on site, which include Merlot, Carmen?re, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This bunch of classic Bordeaux red grapes inspired founder Judy Fowler to make wines modelled on the great reds of Pomerol and St Emilion in Bordeaux. The first wines were made in 1999 and continue to be produced on site by Judy, her partner Phil Nunweek and winemaker Evert Nijzink.  

Harmonie du Soir is French for evening harmony and is the evocative name for this outstanding red made from grapes grown on the small Puriri Hills Vineyard in the Clevedon Hills, south of Auckland.

The wine's name is taken from 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 high quality wine, modelled on the best from Bordeaux. 

Puriri Hills founder Judy Fowler takes her inspiration from Bordeaux for all her wines, which are solely made from red grapes and all blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot playing starring and supporting roles.

She suggests this dark, spicy red can be cellared for at least 15 years in cool dark cellar conditions. 

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carm?n?re and Malbec showing classical Bordeaux aromas and flavours of red fruit, earth, spice and leather. The palate is weighty yet fresh and accessible, and shows superb complexity and structure

Puriri Hills - The vineyard is set in green rolling hills southeast of Auckland, New Zealand, just outside of the village of Clevedon. From the main road, a long driveway climbs past vineyards which produced their first handmade, blended red wine in 1999. Grown and produced entirely on the property, the wines are gaining recognition as serious contenders to the best right bank Bordeaux.

Region: Clevedon, Auckland
Varietal: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Malbec

VINEYARDS Parcels of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were hand-picked from selected sites on the  gravel soils of the old Ngaruroro River, and old vine Merlot from the Bridge Pa region.  Bridge Pa Triangle soils feature fine silt loam over red metal gravels, while the gravel sites protected by Roys Hill, feature gravel over fine silt. These sites are free draining and low in fertility, resulting in struggling vines producing fruit of great concentration. Low yielding vines, open canopy management, managed irrigation and Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand farmed were common to all sites. Bridge Pa Merlot delivers ripe, dark plums which compliments the spicy brighter fruits from the gravels. Cabernet thrives on gravel sites and contributes structure, acidity and fragrant berry fruit notes. 

WINEMAKING Batches of hand harvested fruit was chilled overnight before processing the following day. Chilled bunches were hand sorted and de-stemmed, and whole berries were transferred to open fermenters with some foot stomping. Whole bunches were also incorporated in some of the Merlot fermenters. The berries were cold soaked before fermentation, with pumping over twice per day then pressed to barriques at the  end of fermentation. The Merlot and Cabernet matured for 21 months in new and  seasoned French oak barriques. Blended in December 2019 and bottled in January  2020, the final blend is approximately 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

SENSORY An elegant Merlot Cabernet blend which exhibits lifted aromatics of fragrant  berry fruits, sweet French oak, and underlying lavender and thyme. Complex and  textural, seamless tannins harmoniously support red and black fruits, earthiness,  and spice. Tautly poised to develop beautifully with bottle age.

Plush, smooth and full of ripe red plum flavours, this wine is made with grapes grown a vineyard formed on the ancient riverbed of a river that once carried rock from the steep Ruahine ranges and deposited masses of free-draining gravel which is locally known as red metal. This is a plush wine from a very good vintage and punches well above its weight. Juicy ripe berry flavours from the Merlot are balanced by grunty darker earthy elements from the Franc.

The Chatterer Merlot Cabernet will definitely get tongues wagging with its depth of blackberry and blueberry fruit flavours, full and rounded body and outstanding character. This wine offers fabulous value for money and beautiful aromas of soft plums and dark berry fruits. 

The 2020 vintage was superb in Hawke's Bay and that comes through in every complex sip. 

The Chatterer Merlot Cabernet will definitely get tongues wagging with its depth of blackberry and blueberry fruit flavours, full and rounded body and outstanding character. This wine offers fabulous value for money and beautiful aromas of soft plums and dark berry fruits. 

The 2020 vintage was superb in Hawke's Bay and that comes through in every complex sip. 

A top notch Bordeaux blend from Waiheke made from Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Fermented in stainless steel open-top fermenters, with indigenous and selected yeasts. Extended  maceration for extraction. Punched down up to 4 times per day. Air pulses. Gentle basket pressing and  transferred into mostly new French oak for 12 months maturation. 4 rackings during élevage. No fining.

Deep ruby with a vermillion hue, elegant and multi layered this merlot dominant blend presents a nose  of dark berry compote, dried herbs and freshly brewed espresso. Flavours of blackcurrant, red berries  and cocoa over wild thyme, tobacco and cedar lead the way to an extremely long finish. 

Food pairings: Scotch fillet with pan jus, confit duck legs, truffle oil pasta and mushrooms, braised short ribs,  hard cheese.

Origins of the name  

A Tantalus is a small wooden cabinet that contains two or three decanters of precious wine, for which  there is a lock and key, and takes its name from the unsatisfied temptations of an ancient character of  Greek mythology. The Tantalus prevents unauthorised people from opening the cabinet and drinking  its contents, while allowing the bottles’ beauty to be on display. With a key to our Tantalus wines, one  obtains access to the secrets of the treasures held within. All our reserve wines have names referring to  the origins of Tantalus... To évoque is to evoke forgotten memories, or to elicit fragments of a memory,  perhaps even a deja-vu. Put your nose in a glass of our “Évoque” and it will surely bring to mind one of  your most pleasurable experiences.

Approachably priced, medium bodied blend of Bordeaux grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which delivers a dry, fruit forward experience. Good value for money.

Te Mata Estate is the oldest winery building in New Zealand and one of the oldest wineries in Hawke's Bay. It's a family owned and run business with two long terms winemakers, Phil Brodie and Peter Cowley (now retired and a partner in the company's Bullnose Vineyard - home to Syrah).

This red is predominantly a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, with smaller proportions Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to add further complexity and interest. Cherry/plum flavours and the suppleness of Merlot combine with the blackberry/blackcurrant flavours, structure, and freshness of Cabernet Sauvignon to produce a serious yet eminently drinkable wine. 

Each individual vineyard parcel was harvested separately and gently de-stemmed prior to fermentation. Gentle daily pumping over of the skins during fermentation helped extract a soft, complex structure. Extended maceration on skins following fermentation helped to further integrate and soften the tannins. Following aging in stainless steel tanks, and a short time in seasoned French oak, the individual blocks were blended to create the ideal wine. The Wine: