The second wine to be served with lunch at Clearview. This time, a Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend.Quite vegetal aromas: stalk, brambles, etc. With some time, super blackcurrent fruit leapt from the glass along with some vanilla oak. Still, a flavour profile suggesting perhaps marginal ripeness and/or a strong expression Merlot’s more “green” varietal character.The wine’s entry establishes a much more fruit-driven flavour profile than suggested on the nose, with ripe dark fruit, pepper and spice, plus edges of leafiness. Still, it’s a more elegant, savoury wine as opposed to a fruit-driven one. The middle palate fills the mouth well, showing good intensity of flavour. Very fine tannins help the flavour to adhere to the tongue and linger impressively. The wine improved with food, with the fruit flavours moving further forward in the wine’s balance. Definitely one to have with dinner as opposed to alone, where its angularity might become tiring after a few glasses.Clearview EstatePrice: $NZ40Closure: CorkDate tasted: December 2007