Since the heady days when Morton Estatešs Black Label Merlot Cabernet took the Trophy in one of the worldšs top wine competitions, it has been through a significant transformation.

The trophy winning 1998 Black Label Merlot Cabernet is a great wine and was the result of an intensely hot vintage. But conditions in New Zealand have tended to be a little cool for great Bordeaux reds so Morton Estate investigated and developed - vineyards in areas of the Hawkes Bay that grow more consistent Bordeaux red varieties. Vineyards in the Maraekakaho/Bridge Pa areas have warmer nights which suit the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. We also have access to grapes from the Gimblett Road area that bring more tannin structure to the blend.

So what does this mean when you gently extract the cork on your Black Label Merlot Cabernet? There is more sweetness, fatness and complexity from the Maraekakaho/Bridge Pa fruit, while the Gimblett Gravel fruit adds tannin structure. Wešre also starting to blend Malbec wine into Black Label and that brings intense colour and strong flavours, adding to the intensity and complexity of the wine. Before blending, each wine is aged individually in a combination of French and American new oak barrels. The barrels each impart their own unique characteristics to the wine, with the US barrels giving less tannin extraction on the palate but more aromatic vanillin lift to the nose. The French oak, on the other hand, adds more tannin structure and body to the wine.

Ageing is carried out in a temperature-controlled barrel hall kept at the correct temperature to ensure optimum tannin development and softening. Depending on the vintage, the wine can be aged for up to two years in the barrels during which time the barrels are regularly topped to replace wine lost by evaporation (the angelsš share).

After maturation, the merlot, cabernet sauvignon/franc and malbec wines are tasted by Morton Estatešs winemakers who decide on the final blend that will create yet another special Black Label Merlot Cabernet wine.

"This philosophy gives us as many options as possible in creating the finest possible wine," says Morton Estate winemaker, Evan Ward. "We are also looking to create a wine that is superb to drink now but will also reward those who choose to cellar it for anything up to 15 years."

The 2004 vintage Black Label Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet will be released in October/November. Careful blending of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec has resulted in a wine that is deep red in colour, with aromas of chocolate and mocha that fill the nose with a variety of berries and currants intertwined. The flavours are full of berries, plum and subtle French oak, with the palate supplying fine grained tannins that give great length and structure A full bodied wine well suited to winter roasts and stews.

It will cellar well under good conditions for the medium to long term.