Craggy Range "Quarry" Cabernet Merlot Vertical. June 2009

Quarry is Craggy Range's prestige Bordeaux blend.

I have let this write up sit for a while.  To be honest the few times in the past I have had the chance to taste Craggy’s Quarry have left me underwhelmed.  I have found them all just a bit over done, a bit shouty. A bit like a loud guy at a bar who thinks he is funny when all you want is a quiet one. This rare opportunity to try a close on full vertical though was valuable.  In what way it is valuable when so few are produced im not exactly sure but it extended my education at the hands of a Master of Wine.

2007 Craggy Range "The Quarry" Cabernet Merlot.  This makes the impression of being an exacting wine.  There is plenty of tobacco like influence on the nose. It is a warm and creamy drink; multi faceted and interesting.  The tannins are fine and drying bracing a soft powerful mid palate which introduces red plum fruit with sweet tobacco and dried fragrant herbs. It sits long and persistent in the mouth.  Comparisons are naturally made to Te Mata Coleraine, a wine now which Quarry is a lot closer to in terms style than vintages past.  For me Coleraine still wins the day, but I wouldn’t complain if someone served me up a glass of this. Impressive.$59 96/109

2006 Craggy Range “The Quarry” Cabernet Merlot.  A noted this as a feminine wine with a lot of fragrance and allure. A more “Margaux” styled wine.  A sleek graphite palate with drying tannins on the finish.  This was pretty classy and after these two youngest vintage I could see there had to be a change in the wind from earlier years 97/109

2005 Craggy Range “The Quarry” Cabernet Merlot.  A brooding linear wine wrapped in fine dusty tannins.  The nose gives up dark boot polish, polished furniture and cedar spice. There are flavours of dark blackcurrant and dark plum. Slightly one dimensional. Still youthful 95/109

2004 Craggy Range “The Quarry” Cabernet Merlot.  This is a powerful wine in the traditional Craggy range style. Dense dark fruit and chocolate are packed into an expansive palate Juicy, coiled and poised. Plenty of cellaring potential 97/109

2002 Craggy Range “The Quarry” Cabernet Merlot.  A powerful all guns blazing wine.  Very much in the take no prisoners style that the young winery employed. Steve made a valiant attempt to highlight the good points in this wine but above all else this wine is totally riddled with volatile acidity (that is acetic vinegar like influence for you non snobs out there) to the point it is over the top and I would almost call it faulty. Avoid unless for education purposes.  81/109