Oyster Bay Wines

Oyster Bay Hawkes Bay Merlot 2018

Award
Winner Gold Medium Bodied Dry Red Wines
Grape Varieties
Merlot (100%) Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Country of Origin
New Zealand
Alcohol Content
13% Alcohol by Volume
Wine Type and Oak Treatment
Still Red with Oak Treatment
Recommended Retail Price
RRP AU $19.99
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  • Oyster Bay Wines
    PO Box 91 681
    Victoria Street West
    Auckland, Auckland
    New Zealand 1142
  • Michael Ivicevich, General Manager Group Operations Viti & Winemaking
  • Phone (64) 21 460460

“Cedary toasty aromas unfold to reveal a plush generous palate with ample blackberry fruit and supple round tannins. The wine was unchanged when paired with the duck dish.”

“Bright crimson hues plus a composed, balanced aroma. Beautifully medium-bodied. The reserve, composure and balance of this wine make it a perfect partner to the food.”

“A bold and ripe voluptuous wine with intense oak and ripe black fruit flavours, mouth-watering acidity and firm tannins. A good wine that ticks most boxes and is pleasing.”

“Lovely bright floral fruit on the nose with clean spicy raspberry notes on the palate. Ripe fruit tannin with lovely integrated oak. Wine improves with this dish as fruit and structure are lifted.”

“Medium Crimson, slightly herbal berry, medium weight, slightly aggressive tannins, slightly green.”

“Slight stewed rhubarb notes coming through, with green notes, a savoury finish.”

The Medium Bodied Dry Red Wines were judged with

Duck breast, Parsnip Puree and Radicchio

Presented by chef Marcell Kustos

Ingredients

  • 1 Duck breast/person, sous-vide at 57C
  • 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 bag English breakfast tea
Parsnip puree, serves 4:
  • 500 g parsnip, roasted at 180C for 15 min and cooked in 300 mL soy milk (reserve 200 mL cooking soy milk)
  • 50 g peanut butter
  • Salt
  • ½ tsp garam masala
Radicchio, serves 4:
  • 1 radicchio, quartered, white (bitter) part removed, thinly sliced
  • 300 mL pomegranate juice + sous-vide duck broth, reduced to half
  • Add 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, ½ tsp Xanthan gum and mix with stick mixer
  • Cook radicchio in reduced pomegranate syrup until the radicchio is wilted
Served with chive oil:
  • 1 bunch of chive, thinly cut
  • 50 ml olive oil, warm in microwave 10 s

Method

  1. Score duck breast and render fat in a pan with skin-side down on low fire. Bag up the breast with maple syrup, oyster sauce and tea and sous-vide.
  2. Cut the parsnip into 2-3cm pieces and roast until golden brown. Transfer the parsnips into a pot and cook them soy in soy milk. In a food processor, mix all ingredients for the puree. The result should be creamy, slightly nutty, slightly spicy and slightly salty.
  3. Reduce the pomegranate juice with the cooking juices of the duck. Add xanthan and oyster sauce and blend it smooth (velvety) with a stick mixer. The result should be liquid, but thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. Add sliced radicchio and warm them until cooked/wilted.