2002 Craggy Range Merlot. Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. 14.1% alcohol. $40.
Good color with a very sexy upfront blast of oak, cherry and herbs. Disappoints in the mouth with excessively tart fruit and moderate levels of oak and tannin. 85% Merlot, 9% Malbec, and 6% Cabernet that was bottled unfiltered after 15 months aging in French oak (45% of which was new). Drink now to 2012 (although my preference would be to consume earlier in its lifecycle). 84 points.