Rod McDonald is a cult winemaker in New Zealand. He has been making wine in Hawke’s Bay since 1993 and is committed to producing wines as fine as possible from a wide range of varieties and styles. Perfectly ripe fruit with a taut acidity and moderate brix carried a lusciously flavoured grape, lemon, melon, nectarine all there and intermingled. Planted on an old river terrace 35kms inland and grown carefully to extend hang time and allow slow ripening before harvesting by hand. Pressed and run to french oak barriques for a wild ferment and further rest through the cool winter temperatures. Allowed to warm in spring for a natural malo and then settled before bottling in March, 2016. This is a wine made with future complexity at its heart. Struck stone and flint on the nose with lemon curd, stonefruit and a layered lees influence. Supple and seemless with a lingering finish.