2017 Coeur de Lion

There is no Larose in 2017 because of the tropical cyclones that battered Waiheke near harvest time, but the 2017 Coeur du Lion is a solid effort from that challenging vintage. Violets and purple fruit show decent ripeness, adequate weight and a youthfully firm structure. It's less deep and layered than a Larose would be, but it's an admirable stand-in to drink over the next 5-6 years.