Tasting Notes

SYRAH 2015 HAWKES BAY

The 2015 Syrah is a blend of both our Syrah blocks.

Picking Date: 7 April 2015 (Arataki Block & House Block)

Meticulous vineyard management then hand picked and colour sorted grapes gave us pristine fruit in the winery. Hand plunging in open top fermenters, basket pressing then extended maturation in French oak gave us the result we wanted.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 13.4% Vol
8.0 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

MERLOT 2014 HAWKES BAY

Six years in the making, the 2014 Merlot is the first of it’s kind from the vineyard.

Picking Date: 22 March 2014

Meticulous canopy work and dry-farmed (un-irrigated) vines grown in the clay based soils result in the density to the tannin structure that is a hall mark of wines from the Havelock Hills sub region. 100% hand-picked Merlot grapes were table sorted to ensure only the best quality grapes were selected for this wine. Open top fermentation vats hand plunged twice daily. Careful blend selection has resulted in a wine we feel is the best expression of vintage and vineyard.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 13.5% Vol
8.0 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

SYRAH 2013 HAWKES BAY

The 2013 Syrah is a blend from both Syrah blocks from our vineyard.

Picking Date: 14 April 2013 (Arataki Block & House Block)

The 2013 vintage has been hailed as one of the best vintages in the last 25 years. Meticulous vineyard management, hand picked and sorting presented the winery with fruit in pristine condition. Hand plunged in open top fermenters, basket pressed followed by extended maturation in French oak. The wine was blended from individual components in March 2015 after 18 months in new and seasoned French oak.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 14.0% Vol
8.3 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

MERLOT SYRAH 2012 HAWKES BAY

Careful blend selection has resulted in the best expression of vintage and vineyard for this wine.

Picking Date: 2 April 2012 (Merlot), 24 April 2012 (Syrah)

The fruit is from the Havelock Hill’s Red Barrel Home Vineyard. The clay based soils give a density to tannin structure that is a hall mark of wines from this sub region. All fruit was hand-picked then table sorted to ensure only the best quality grapes were selected for this wine. Open top fermentation vats were hand plunged twice daily.

Blend Merlot 80% | Syrah 20%

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 13.0% Vol
7.7 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

RESERVE SYRAH 2013 HAWKES BAY

The 2013 Reserve Syrah is the first release of a reserve wine from our vineyard.

Picking Date: 14 April 2013

The house block consistently shows a depth and structure that captures the essence of Hawkes Bay Syrah at its best. The 2013 vintage has been hailed as one of the best vintages in the last 25 years. Meticulous vineyard management, hand picked and sorting presented the winery with spectacular fruit in pristine condition. Hand plunged in open top fermenters, basket pressed followed by extended maturation in 50% new French oak.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 14.0% Vol
8.3 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

ROSÉ 2016 HAWKES BAY

The 2016 Rosé comes from purpose grown Merlot vines.

Picking Date: 6 April 2016

Hand picked Merlot was pressed as whole bunches to minimize tannin and excessive colour. Cold settling was followed by decanting juice off solids. Fermentation was completed in small tank to capture the vibrant fruit expression. The wine was then racked off fermentation solids and heavy lees then returned to light lees to impart some additional palate texture. Regular lees stirring was adopted until early spring. Minimal fining.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 13.0% Vol
7.6 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

CHARDONNAY 2015 HAWKES BAY

The 2015 Chardonnay rewarded excellent canopy work and enjoyed great growing conditions.

Picking Date: 11th & 16th March 2015

Fruit was presented in pristine condition allowing minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Hand picked fruit was pressed as whole bunches direct to a mix of French oak barriques and puncheons. Fermentation was allowed with wild yeast. Regular lees stirring was adopted and some malolactic fermentation was permitted during spring. The wine stayed on lees until racking from Barrel late March.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 13.5% Vol
8.0 standard drinks

Tasting Notes

CHARDONNAY 2014 HAWKES BAY

The 2014 Chardonnay comes from an excellent 2014 vintage.

Picking Date: 10 March 2014

Fruit was presented in pristine condition allowing minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Hand picked fruit was pressed as whole bunches, direct to a mix of French oak barriques and puncheons. Fermentation was allowed to start with wild yeast, some selected yeast was introduced to a portion. Regular lees stirring was adopted and some malolactic fermentation was permitted during spring. SO2 was added in November to prevent oxidation and the wine stayed on lees until racking from Barrel late May. Bottled August 2015.

Bottled under screwcap
Alc 14.5% Vol
8.6 standard drinks

Tasting Notes