Esk Valley Great Dirt River Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Esk Valley Great Dirt River Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2019French oak Roasted plum Baking spices Ripe, firm tannins "The classy, debut 2019 vintage (5*) was grown at two sites in the Gimblett Gravels (Ngakirikiri and Cornerstone vineyards), and matured for 19 months in French oak barriques (45 per cent new). Dark and purple flushed, with a fragrant, ripe bouquet, it is full bodied and complex, with fresh, highly concentrated blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, and good tannin

• French oak
• Roasted plum
• Baking spices
• Ripe, firm tannins

"The classy, debut 2019 vintage (5*) was grown at two sites in the Gimblett Gravels (Ngakirikiri and Cornerstone vineyards), and matured for 19 months in French oak barriques (45 per cent new). Dark and purple-flushed, with a fragrant, ripe bouquet, it is full-bodied and complex, with fresh, highly concentrated blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, and good tannin backbone. It should flourish for a decade" Michael Cooper

"Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, dark plum praline mocha aromas with underlying cedar herb garden, liquorice notes. Chocolaty textured wine with ample dark berry fruits, fine grainy slightly grippy/ leafy tannins, lovely mid-palate viscosity and plentiful cedar, vanilla, marzipan notes. Finishes chocolaty/ chewy firm with new oak giving extra layered complexity. Still in parts but neatly balanced. Should come together beautifully. Drink 2023 - 2035" Andrew Caillard, Master of Wine

"Gorgeously aromatic bouquet shows cassis, cedar, dried herb, clove and floral aromas, leading to a richly textured palate that's powerful yet graceful. Brilliantly framed by loads of fine-grained tannins, making it sturdy and superbly lingering on the finish. A blend of Merlot, Malbec & Cabernet Sauvignon from Ngakirikiri & Cornerstone vineyards. At its best: 2023 to 2034" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2021

"Made with Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon from the Ngakirikiri and Cornerstone vineyards the bouquet and palate of this wine are impressive with aromas and flavours of blackberry and tobacco, roasted plums and violets, toasty spices of oak and smoky stony earthy complexities. Ripe, firm tannins and medium+ acidity bring texture and structure while the baking spices of barrel and baked stone flavours of earth layer on complexity and depth. A delicious wine ready to drink from purchase and through 2028+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jul 2021

"Intense, bright, youthful nose in a classic, modern Bordeaux style with complex aromas of cassis, plum, hints of tobacco, polished cedar and creamy vanilla pod. Quite intense and powerful with a sweet-fruited attack and very rich, robust structured tannins that will require a little patience or a hearty meal at the very least" NZ Wine Rater

This full bodied complex Gimblett Gravels wine is widely regarded as being amongst the finest of New Zealand’s red wines, with a pedigree stretching back to 1989. Very deeply coloured it showcases the black fruit nature of Gimblett Gravels wines. Blackberry and dark cherry are complemented with aromas and flavours of tobacco and cedar. This is a powerful and ageworthy wine with excellent cellaring potential.

Selected plots within the boundaries of the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District and with a long history of fine wine production for Esk Valley have been chosen for this wine. These old vines planted in deep gravels in the Cornerstone and Ngakirikiri vineyards date back to the 1990’s and early 2000s. They are pruned to short canes and cropped at one bunch per shoot in the pursuit of quality.

The individual vineyard parcels were hand harvested and destemmed to individual concrete fermenters for fermentation with wild yeast. A period of post fermentation maceration was employed to lengthen tannins and provide structure before the ferments were pressed and the wine run to french oak barrels for ageing. The individual barrel groups were regularly racked and returned and blended in January 2021 after 20 months ageing. The wine was bottled unfiltered.