2010 Vintage Produces Top Auckland Wines

A tasting of Auckland's "cool reds" (as the growers dub them), based on traditional Bordeaux varieties - merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot - was staged recently to build awareness of "this unique region". All were from the memorable 2010 vintage - low cropping, sunny and dry. Only a few big names were missing. My top wines flowed from north of the city (Matakana and Stillwater), Waiheke Island and South Auckland (Clevedon and the Awhitu Peninsula). They were not overshadowed by three benchmark wines from Bordeaux included in the testing, which was conducted "blind".

Here are some of my top picks...

5 stars, Lovely Clevedon blend, merlot based. Finely structured, with beautifully ripe plum, spice and slight licorice flavours, concentrated, complex and built to last. $120.