Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 1997 (review)

82 points
This wine was much better 5 years ago. It was still a sound wine with earthy-tobacco like aromas and taste. The tannins were about gone, and no fruit left. This is another wine that states on the label that it will last longer than it did. The alcohol and acid are well balanced and the finish was quite long, given the state of the wine.