A blended red made of 39.1% Cabernet Franc, 30.1% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.7% Malbec and 6.1 Petit Verdot and aged in 25% new oak barriques, the deep garnet-colored 2010 Ironclad offers up red and black currants on the nose, plus slight touches of Mediterranean herbs, pepper, underbrush and a whiff of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, vibrant and framed by medium-firm, fine tannins, it gives nice concentration through the long finish with oak poking through just a bit. Drink it now to 2022+. I spent the whole drive around Man ‘O War’s considerable vineyard area with my mouth agape. Wow! 4,500 acres in total, and, accounting for a good chunk of the entire island along with neighboring Ponui Island, this property is indeed an incredible site and investment to behold. But it’s not the scale of the project that impresses me so much as the attention to detail and micro-managing of individual parcels. 150 acres of vines have been established in 76 isolated hillside blocks. This is not a mere lifestyle pursuit, but a serious, and, judging from the early results, worthwhile venture. Vineyard manager Matt Allen has been with this project since the beginning in 1987 and lives with his family on this remote property. It doesn’t get much more hands-on or dedicated than that! And labor-intensive though it may be, the potential for high quality is clearly there in the top red wines: Dreadnought, Ironclad and, my personal favorite, the Cabernet Franc-dominant Warsprite (coming from the vineyards planted on the little island next door). This is without a doubt one of New Zealand’s greatest wineries in the making and one to watch. Imported by Youngs Market, Tustin, CA

The 2007 Ironclad is where things start getting really interesting, a blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, this has a compelling, brooding nose with notes of blackberry, cedar, creme de cassis and a touch of burnt match. The palate is full-bodied, opulent with thick chewy tannins – an imposing wine, ferociously backward but with great harmony and an almost Pomerol-like finish. Drink over 4-6 years. Located on the picturesque Waiheke Island just a ferry-ride from Auckland, Man ‘O War (named after the local kauri trees that supplied masts for Captain Cook’s ships) is located on the eastern side of the island on a choice parcel of land on the 4,500 acres farm owned by the Spencer family. With such expansive land, it is akin to a Burgundy vigneron gifted the choice of plots in the Cote de Nuits, and they have focused upon their steepest land, up to 45 degrees and their unique, volcanic Stony Batter Clay Loam soil. Whilst their whites still need a bit of work, their reds were very impressive. No known American importer.