Colour:
Dense and deeply coloured ruby core and thin rim.
Aroma:
Complex aromas of dark fruit and new leather combined with floral notes of the tobacco flower.
Palate:
A dark and dense palate with a sweet dark fruit spectrum. Full bodied and weighty with
a luscious chocolate-like texture, spices and a long toasty finish.
Ageing:
Perfect for drinking immediately this wine will continue to develop and delight for at least five years from vintage but with careful cellaring will continue to develop and please.
Winemakers:
Kyle Thompson and Hamish Clark
Block: 17
Region:
Omahu Road, Gimblett Gravels wine-growing region, Hawke’s Bay.
Terroir:
Soils: Vigour moderating free-draining gravel.
Topography: Flat even site with a gradual slope.
Climate: Warm, sheltered site.
Regional Characteristics & Contribution to Uniqueness of Flavours:
Warm days and cooler nights with gravel rich vigour-moderating soils contribute to small berries which give this wine concentrated flavours, perfume and deep rich colour.
Winemaking:
This wine is a blend of 62 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 38 per cent Merlot.
Each variety was kept separate during fermentation through to the time of blending. The fruit was held cold for four days prior to ferment to help extract maximum flavour and enhance colour stability. Inoculation took place to carry out the primary alcoholic fermentation during which the fermenting must was hand plunged up to four times daily.
When dry the young wines was pressed and then racked off gross lees to 31 per cent new French oak and 69 per cent seasoned French oak. The wine underwent a clean malolactic fermentation while ageing in oak for 11 months. It was then gently extracted from oak, blended and carefully prepared for bottling.
Viticulture:
The outstanding fruit was sourced predominantly from a single vineyard within the Gimblett Gravels wine growing area of Hawke’s Bay. The vigour moderating, free draining gravel provides a superb base for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This vineyard site has ideal ripening conditions for achieving the structure and full aromatic profiles of these varieties. The fruit was carefully monitored during ripening and harvested in the cool evening at maximum flavour maturity and physiological ripeness.
Wine Analysis:
Alcohol: 13.5% v/v
Acidity: 6.3g/litre
pH: 3.53
Our Food Match Recommendation:
Delicious with smoky flame grilled steak served with garlic butter and roast beetroot salad.
Vegetarian friendly
