Man O' War Ironclad is a captivating and robust red wine that takes its inspiration from the awe-inspiring historical battleships, known as ironclads. Hailing from the ruggedly beautiful Waiheke Island in New Zealand, this wine showcases the region's unique terroir. Crafted primarily from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec, Ironclad offers a deep and enticing aroma of blackberries, plums, and spice, intertwined with hints of mocha and earthiness. On the palate, it exudes a rich and velvety texture, with flavors of dark fruits, cocoa, and cedar, smoothly balanced by fine-grained tannins. Man O' War Ironclad is a bold and unforgettable wine that pays homage to both history and the land it comes from.

Tasting Notes

The 'Bordeaux blend' Ironclad presents immediate aromatic complexity: black cherry, blackberry, cedar, pencil shavings, olive tapenade, wet slate, elderberry, and vibrant violet. Boisterous, juicy fruit and refined tannins offer a sumptuous palate, enjoyable now or cellaring-worthy. Finishes with appealing, intricate, and savoury notes. A wine of balance, structure, and allure.

About the Winery

The New Zealand-based wine label of Man’O War is known for creating wines that are rich in texture, elegance and balance. This estate is located towards the east of Waiheke Island. The richness of this land was realised at least two centuries before the establishment of this brand. Ever since its conception, this label has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, this group owns 156 acres of vines planted in some of the premium wine-growing regions of New Zealand. These vines are planted in around 76 blocks across the wine estate. These blocks are known for their diverse soil quality, mesoclimate conditions and natural ripening characteristics.

The white vines are cultivated on top of the hills of the Man O’ War estate, to expose them to the volcanic soil quality and the chill breeze from the sea. Thanks to this, the white grape varietals created here are rich in intense flavours and minerality.

The red grape varietals are cultivated on the low slopes to give them enough shelter from the sunlight. The clay soil and natural climatic conditions here ensure that there is a lot of depth in the reds. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot are the varietals that are used mostly for the wines created under this label. Some of the popular wines in this range are:

Dreadnought Syrah – This is one of the flagship wines of this label. It is made from 100% Syrah that is hand-harvested. For fermentation purposes, this wine uses 35% French Oak Puncheons and 65% Seasoned Oak barrels.

Gravestone – This is made from 25% Semillon and 75% Sauvignon Blanc grape varietals. For fermentation purposes, 90% Seasoned Oak and 10% New Acacia barrels are used to retain the richness and intensity of the grapes processed.

The winemaking techniques followed here are quite traditional, but there is also some creativity used by the wine experts to create wines that are true to their land.

https://www.manowar.co.nz

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