(2020) Using fruit from two vineyards near havelock North. 43% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec and 4% Cab Franc. Elegant floral-edged cherry and spices, savoury with some cedar and graphite. Solid and svelte black fruit, great sweetness and ripeness on the mid-palate. Juicy and at the same time dry, balanced tannins and acids. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.

(2020) From limestone hillsides in the Bridge Pa Triangle. Florals again, cherry and herbs, a touch of game and a touch of graphite or cedar. A little bit of the smoky bacon meatiness. Big mouthful of wine, has meatiness and a bit of bloody perfume and interest. Smooth but grippy tannins. Just a delicious, satisfying Syrah. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.

(2020) Creamy nose, but high, floral character, brightness and firmness, the palate lean and savoury, the acidity decisive again, but a lick of ripe red fruit too, finishes with lots of spice.

(2020) Part of a range of small batch releases this super-Tuscan style blend is made in large barrels. Tobacco, cherry and earthiness, the Cabernet adding a touch of austerity, dustiness. Lovely palate, the blood-streaked, firm palate has a seam of decisive acidity, a touch of cab asserting in the finish, though it's only 20% of the blend. No UK retail stockists at time of review.

(2020) All from limestone or clay soils. Lovely floral character, here, spices and lift, some old roses, there is a bit of game and strawberry, in a Pinot-like, light and sleek character. Spice, and fine tannins to finish. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.

(2020) Paul says the Taransud barrels bring out the aromatics in this wine.  Quite a resinous, balsamic quality from the oak at first, lots of vanilla and also game and bloody notes. On the palate quite plummy but with a cherry freshness, taut, quite dominant tannins but good balance and length.

(2020) Around 12% of Cabernet Franc in the blend too. Bold crimson, lithe and cherryish, moving into cassis, but bright, bold and perfumed. Lovely dry palate, the medium-bodied black and red fruits against firm but silky and sandy tannins and well-judge acidity, finishes long on sweet fruit and acidity.

(2020) Matured in French oak barrels, 33% new. Very creamy and fragrant - as fragrant as you like, with florals and sandalwood, lots of chocolaty depth and Parma violet lift. The palate is soft and elegant, a real creamy ripeness. Luscious red berries, terrific spicy, fine finish. A lovely Merlot. Price and stockist for a previous vintage at time of review.

(2020) From the Hawke's Bay vineyard, a nice touch of beetroot and briar here, more dry, redcurrant and cranberry character, and orange, those dry bracken notes persist in a savoury style. Long.

(2018) In Côte-Rôtie, one of the most famous appellations of the Rhône Valley, it is very common for winemaker to blend just a touch of the fragrant white wine grape, Viognier, with Syrah, and Matt Thomson has performed the same trick here with Grüner-Veltliner, to add a little aromatic lift. The result is another firm, really rather European-style from Blank Canvas, pepper, liquorice and black cherry aromatics with a touch of cedarwood too. On the palate this has plenty of grip and edge – it’s a brisk, fairly lean and muscular style, the fruit is very good in a dry, savoury, pepper-edged style that cries out for some winter venison, roasts or slow-braised beef dishes. On offer at time of review at £21.95.