2013 Waiheke Island Reds with Howard Davis - Thursday, 23 July, 6pm, $155

Upstairs at Regional Wines The 2013 growing season on Waiheke Island is widely regarded as one of the finest - if not the finest - vintage of the past two decades, delivering wines of ripeness, precision and structure. This tasting brings together a cross-section of the island’s leading producers, offering a rare opportunity to explore how this great year has evolved across both Bordeaux blends and Syrah at over a decade of age. Showing how the vintage is viewed on the island, the 2013 is currently the most expensive recent vintage on leading Waiheke winery cellar lists. We will taste these exemplary Waiheke benchmarks alongside the iconic Hawke's Bay Bordeaux blend of Esk Valley’s 2013 Terraces for context. At a recent vertical winetasting with then Esk Valley winemaker - Gordon Russell - from 2000 the 2013 vintage was concluded by many to be the best vintage. In approximate reverse order, we will taste the following 12 wines: 2013 Stonyridge Vineyard Larose 2013 Te Motu 2013 Obsidian Vineyard The Obsidian 2013 Frenchmans Hill Estate Blood Creek 8 2013 Goldie Estate Reserve Cabernet Merlot Franc 2013 Batch Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Thomas Legacy 2013 Passage Rock Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Reserve 2013 Esk Valley The Terraces 2013 Woodside Hill Reserve Merlot Cabernet Franc 2013 Man O' War Vineyards Syrah Totto Kulta 2013 Kennedy Point Syrah Reserve 2013 Passage Rock Syrah Waiheke Island Reserve ......... At Regional Wines, Beers and Spirits - 15 Ellice Street, Wellington 6011. Cancellations must be made no later than 48hrs in advance. If sold out - please email John at online@regionalwines.co.nz to be placed on the waitlist.