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1999 St Jerome Matuka Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. |
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Written by Craig Thomson
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 1999 St Jerome Matuka Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. This established Auckland producer has always produced reds of structure and weight which age very well. I think they have just moved on to the 2000 vintage (which I am yet to try) but until recently this was the latest vintage released. It is an old fashioned New Zealand red, still taut and brambly with smoky/ funky notes and slithers of cabernet leafiness. It just seems a tad under ripe to me. It is a masculine wine with plenty of power and authority and is to wanting in the staying power department. Completely different to the plump soft Hawkes Bay or the modern merlot based Auckland wines, it has more similarities with Cru Bourgeois from a cooler year. This has never been one of my favourite vintages though it worked well with the ‘indoor bbq’ we ate with it (damn Labour Weekend weather!!). Top vintages (89,91,98) can be outstanding but the 99 I rate 88/109
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