2013 Destiny Bay Magna Praemia
$1,900.00
Destiny Bay's wines are hand crafted to the highest standard. Sophisticated equipment and cutting edge science combine to create wines that have been compared to some of the great French Chateaux. Vines are lightly cropped (1.8 – 2.0 tonnes an Acre in 2013 ) and each berry is hand selected for vinification. Magna Praemia, meaning 'Great Rewards', is Destiny Bay's flagship wine featuring all five classic Bordeaux varietals with Cabernet Sauvignon the prominent grape. Robert Parkers Wine Advocate describes this wine as an ''Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove''.
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
Vintage Detail: Dry and windy spring w/hot and dry summer conditions through harvest.
Vinified Tonnage/Acre: 1.8 - 2.0 tonnes
Brix: 24 - 25.6
Maturation: 10-15 months in 50% French Oak & 50% American Oak
Cooperage: 60% new barrels, 40% 1-2 year barrels Cases Produced: 255
Alcohol: 14.5%
Lifted dark berry aromas dominate the young bouquet, with subtle dried herbaceous notes and a hint of vanilla
Incredibly full and rich, with spicy Cabernet Sauvignon flavours taking lead before the sweet Doris plum from the Merlot offers balance and complexity. Impressive mid palate weight with sound structure and firm tannins comfortably supporting the mouthfeel.
The finish is profound. Chewy black liquorice flavours developing amid dark cherry and noticeable spice from the French Oak. Currently demands a rich, fatty food pairing. Will continue to develop multiple layers and complexity throughout the next 20+ years.
Last tasted June 2017
WINEMAKER’S TASTING NOTES:
Often colour is the first thing one notices in a red wine, but upon a first pour into a glass the ripe and fragrant Cabernet notes leap forward. Dark and sanguine in colour this Magna Praemia already delivers great rewards. While there is the typical spectrum of berry aromas, Cabernet Sauvignon typicity leads all the aromatics. Upon the first taste there is no distinguishing between a separate fore, mid, and back palate as the wine is seamless, generous, and broad. As the wine finishes, the back palate shows significant structure before umami notes from the French Oak give way to subtle hints of bourbon, ripe black cherries, and currants. This Magna Praemia will develop layers and complexity throughout its life in the cellar.
Bob Campbell MW Jan 2017
98 POINTS: Destiny Bay’s flagship wine is big, rich and surprisingly accessible considering it’s 71 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon (the rest is 16 per cent merlot, five per cent Cabernet Franc, five per cent Petit Verdot and three per cent Malbec). Appealing dark berry sweetness with vanilla, chocolate, malt and a strong influence of classy oak. Firmly structured with ripe tannins that will allow graceful ageing, it already shows a subtle savoury character that suggests the beginning of bottle-age. Cellar for up to 15 years.
Destiny Bay receives a hat trick of stellar reviews (Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate-highest NZ scored Cabernet Blend 94+, Bob Campbell 98/100, Anthony Dias Blue 95/100.
Furthermore, according to analysis, the combined average rating of Destiny Bay’s Magna Praemia and Mystae blends rank them as Number 1 on Robert Parker Jr’s, The Wine Advocate