Te Awa, Left Field Merlot, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2013

Striking labels are not the only thing to note about this Hawke's Bay estate, whose winemaker Richard Painter follows the tenet that 'curiosity reigns and rules are made to be broken'. This offers mature drinking now, with a creamy but not cloying palate of rich, spiced plums. It's not too oaky either, despite 18 months in barrel. An Albariño from vineyards in Gisborne and a Malbec from estate vineyards in Gimblett Gravels are also excellent.