SAINT CLAIR PIONEER BLOCK 17 PLATEAU BLOCK CABERNET / MERLOT 2021

Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"Complex aromas of dark fruit and new leather combined with floral notes of the tobacco flower. A dark and dense palate with a sweet dark fruit spectrum. Full bodied and weighty with a luscious chocolate-like texture, spices and a long toasty finish."

5 Stars & Number 2, Cuisine NZ & International Bordeaux-Style Reds Tasting 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Deeply coloured through to the rim with powerful aromas of toast spice and dark fruits layered with complex dense fruit weight on the palate. Blackcurrant and plum flavours are well balanced with bright acid that gives the wine freshness and fantastic drive."

5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, February 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Bold and rich with refinement, the wine shows blackcurrant, tobacco, dark spice and cedary oak characters on the nose. The palate delivers terrific weight and concentration, superbly framed by layers of fine tannins, making it sturdy and sophisticated at once. Wonderfully composed and expressed. At its best: now to 2033."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, March 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Dark purple and ruby core with a pink-ish rim leads to a bouquet of blackberry, tobacco, roasted bell-pepper, dark plums, fruit compote and baked stone soil suggestions. Youthful and complex. Firm and dry on the palate with a core of dark fruits reflecting the bouquet. The plum and blackberry flavours dominate with firm tannins and medium+ acid line. There’s polish and style, textures and plushness. A wine to enjoy immediately if accompanied with food or cellar fr a time with best drinking from 2026 through 2033+."

5 Stars & 18.5/20 (93) Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, March 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Deep, ruby-red with a dark purple hue, even colour throughout. The nose is rich and enticing, with aromas of blackcurrant and plum intermixed with cedar, chocolate and an amalgam of spice. Full-bodied, aromas of blackcurrant, plum and cedar entwined with dark chocolate, clove and nutmeg. The fruit is bright with excellent freshness, enriched by a rich, earthy quality. Fine-grained, smooth tannins structure an opulent mouthfeel and provide vitality. This Cabernet Merlot is well-structured and rich, built on excellent fruit and freshness, lending a long, engaging finish. Fruit from Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.5% alc."

Joelle Thomson, drinksbiz Magazine August/Sepetmber 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Saint Clair Family Estate is a large family winery with a talented and well-resourced winemaking team to span a wide range of wine styles and grape varieties, including this superbly structured classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Dark blackberry aromas and firm black olive flavours are held in balance by the soft lushness of Merlot's smooth plum  character. Complex and satisfying now, but can age for a further six to seven years plus."