Deep red colour with a strong purple tint. The bouquet is big on dried herbs and blackcurrant, reminding more of cabernet than merlot perhaps, the palate lush in blackberry, cassis fruit and soft, fine-grained tannins. The fruit ripeness is spot-on. A very stylish, polished red blend of superb balance and refinement. (62% merlot, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 18% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot).

96 points, Huon Hooke (June 2015)

Gimblett Gravels. Sophia is a blend of merlot (62%), cabernet sauvignon (19%), cabernet franc (18%) and petit verdot (1%). 42% new French oak. They’re crowing about the 2013 vintage at Craggy Range.

A fine-grained wine. It’s as if it’s been deep-etched with a fine tip. It’s powerfully built, minerally, chocolatey, sluiced with gravel and blackcurrant, and lifted by a variety of florals. Feels both water- and alcohol-based. ‘Sophia” always smells of money; this release does too, but the cash hangs out the top of the wallet, rather than being flashed around. A rumble of tannin leads the flavours into the future. A long termer, without question.

95+ points, Campbell Mattinson (July 2015)