Saint Clair Family Estate are thrilled to announce their inclusion in the 2016 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection with the Saint Clair Premium Cabernet Merlot Malbec.
Gimblett Gravels Association members are invited each year to submit wines for consideration to be included in the top 12. Since its inception in 2006 Master of Wine, Andrew Caillard has been assessing each wine blind to showcase the best of the vintage. This is the first year Saint Clair Family Estate have been included in this prestigious selection.
Family owned Marlborough based winery, Saint Clair Family Estate, have been sourcing fruit from the highly regarded Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district for a number of years. In 2014 Saint Clair expanded their estate owned property through purchasing a vineyard in this region. The free-draining deep gravel soils are naturally low in fertility and act as heat storage for the vines. As with all Saint Clair Family Estate wines, these wines are selected via a unique quality assessment system.
Andrew commented on the Saint Clair Premium Cabernet Merlot Malbec showing “attractive cassis, blackberry mulberry aromas with mocha roasted chestnut violet notes. Generous and supple with inky blackberry mulberry redcurrant fruits, fine supple integrated tannins and well balanced new oak complexity. Finishes firm but the fruit follows through. Nice wine”. He also made particular reference to the Cabernet Sauvignon blends within the selection, “I really liked the vigour, vinosity and personality of the wines”.
The winemaking team are incredibly proud of the achievement – Senior Red Winemaker Kyle Thompson comments “this is another great accolade for a vineyard that is consistently producing wines of exceptional standard. We thank Murray Hill (Vineyard Manager) for his efforts and passion for crafting the best grapes possible for us to work with back at the winery”.
Consistency in quality in all facets of the business and throughout the entire team has led Saint Clair Family Estate to being recognised as one of New Zealand’s most successful global wine brands.
The 2016 Annual Vintage Selection will comprise the following wines (in alphabetical order):
Blended reds (Merlot or Cabernet dominant):
Babich Irongate Cabernet Merlot Franc
Babich The Patriarch
Craggy Range Sophia
Mission Estate Jewelstone Antoine
Sacred Hill Special Selection Helmsman
Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Premium Cabernet Merlot Malbec
Stonecroft Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon
Vidal Legacy Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Syrah:
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Syrah
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah
Sacred Hill Special Selection Deerstalkers Syrah
Vidal Legacy Gimblett Gravels Syrah
