The Auswine Forum

2002 Unison Selection, Hawkes Bay, NZ.
Ruby red, aromas of creamy vanilla oak,violets and some dried herbs, spice.
Strong varietal flavours of blackcurrant's, blueberries, plum, smoky cedar, coffee and hints of black-pepper, spice and bouquet garni. The Unison is a dry wine and still quite primary, made from a good vintage in Hawks bay and a style one would expect from cool to temperate climate. Good acid and tannin that is in balance with the ripe fruit. Excellent mouthfeel and length, the wine wears its 14% with ease.
The wine drinks well now and will improve with age and secondary flavours, decanting and food enhances it at present. Should have a life of 5-8yrs.
The Unison Selection has excellent finesse, it doesn't hit you in the face and announce what it is as do some Brdx style wines grown in the Barossa and coonawarra. The blend works well with the syrah giving it an edge. In the last few years there has been a trend in NZ to change the blend of Brdx style wines from predominant cabernet to merlot. This has worked well in getting the wines away from being unripe and storkie. But this has left some wines lacking character and grunt. Unison has got round this by adding small amount of syrah.

I find the Unison 2002 a more interesting wine than say the 2002 Coleraine in fact the same applies to the 2000 Unison and Coleraine even though the Coleraine that year was predominant Cabernet.
Its price tag of $nz 40 is great value for those that appreciate this style of wine. I rate this wine as Excellent.

Cheers
Geoffrey

Agree....top notch stuff, especially enjoyed the 2000 aswell.

Im a huge Unison fan, always have been right from the start. Selection is the only wine which i have every vintage ever made in the cellar. I dont say that to show off but to say they are closer to a cult wine personally for me than anything else i buy

i buy it sight unseen, and then I buy it again after i taste it, then I buy a magnum from the winery when I visit hehe

I agree the 02 Unison Selection is a more satisfying wine than the 02 Coleraine, though the 00 Coleraine was damn good, so I would have to reserve my judgement there. Its great value for money too and Bruce and Anna Barbara are so down to earth and pleasant. I sent my mate there to buy me some 02 when he was in the bay. They werent open and it had only been bottled and labelled the day before but Bruce opened up especially and sold us some vino. I think we were the first people in the world to drink a bottle of 02 hehe (we cracked one that night)

Unison Selection really seems to shine in lesser vintages, must be the site, after all they really got first dibs in the Gimblet Gravels region.

Fine wine, lovely style and finesse and as satisfying drinking the 4th glass as the first.

There is no 03 Selection as frost killed 95% of the crop in 03, but Bruce is pleased with the 04 crop in his understated matter of fact way.

Apparently he may release it a little early because of the obvious business considerations.

Cant wait.

PS The 02 Syrah is damn good as well!

C.