Pask Declaration Merlot is the flagship Merlot from C.J. Pask, grown on the Gimblett Gravels of Hawke's Bay and matured in French oak. Hawke's Bay | Gimblett Gravels | Flagship Merlot | Top-Tier Declaration Tasting Notes Deep purple in colour with ripe intense berry fruit and meaty characters, supported by intense sweet oak and complex yeast notes. A brooding dense palate, well-structured with ripe dark fruits and silky ripe tannins. Plush & lingering. A dense, structured Gimblett Gravels Merlot built for the table and the cellar. Why you'll love it: A serious, plush Merlot with the structure to age, all dark fruit and silky tannin. It was chosen for the Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection as one of the top twelve wines of the 2019 vintage, which tells you how well it shows. Reviews 95 points, Falstaff, Anne Krebiehl MW (2022): "Nothing here is overdone. Beautiful." 94 points, Cameron Douglas MS (January 2022): "Youthful, plump and nicely complex bouquet." The Wine One hundred per cent Merlot from the Gimblett Road vineyard, matured for around fourteen to sixteen months in French oak. About C.J. Pask C.J. Pask Winery was founded by Chris Pask, who first saw the promise of the Gimblett Gravels from the air while flying his topdressing plane over Hawke's Bay. The free-draining, sun-soaked stones of the ancient Ngaruroro riverbed proved ideal for ripening, and Pask planted some of the district's earliest vines there, helping to establish what is now one of New Zealand's most celebrated wine areas. Four decades on, the team still farm sustainably and grow and bottle their estate wines on site, with the Declaration range sitting at the very top of the house. Perfect with roast lamb, slow-cooked beef, venison or a board of hard, aged cheeses. Discover more in our Merlot & Malbec collection, or call or text Laura on 021 591 500 for a personal recommendation.
