Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Reserve | Gimblett Gravels
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
Vintage 2020 
Description
Vintage
Wine Vineyards
Select fruit parcels from meticulously managed vineyard blocks are kept separate in the winery before being skillfully arranged into a wine with intensity, structure and texture. The 2020 vintage of this wine is deeply coloured and age-worthy. Fragrant and brooding with dark plum, cassis and complex dried herb character, it will reward careful cellaring for 10 to 15 years from vintage.
2021 will be remembered as a great Hawkes Bay vintage. Early season rainfall enabled healthy vines to get established followed by a hot and dry Spring. Some cooler weather in January ensured natural acidity and freshness was retained in the grapes, then a warm dry harvest period allowed the fruit to be harvested in great condition with good ripeness.
Grown entirely in the Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawkes Bay, our vineyards contributed parcels of exceptional fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from 2 blocks within our Vidal vineyard and the Merlot is grown on our Omahu Gravels vineyard. The free-draining soils of these sites help ensure balanced fruit and canopy growth, contributing ripe flavours and tannin development. Yields are kept low allowing vines to produce fruit that is richly concentrated in colour, flavour and structure.
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Finesse and beauty

Tasting notes

  • Dark Berry
  • Coffee Bean
  • Spice

This densely coloured wine shows lovely aromatics with layers of dark berries, cassis, and roasted coffee bean, mingling with floral and spice nuances. The palate is rich and concentrated with a soft plush mid-palate framed by finely textured tannin and integrated oak.

Pairing suggestions

How to enjoy our Cabernet Merlot

  • Red Meats
  • Mediterranean Cuisine
  • Mature Cheeses

Our Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc is perfect to enjoy with red meats and Mediterranean style foods.

 

Best served at: 15 °C / 60 °F

Aromas of gravel, cassis, blackcurrant, raw cocoa and dried mint.

93 POINTS

JAMES SUCKLING

Recipe pairing

Chimichurri served with grilled steak

Bursting with fresh flavours, this Chimichurri sauce will take your next steak dinner to the next level. And there’s nothing better to bring out the herbaceous and spicy characteristics of the sauce than our rich and balanced Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon.

Warm and Sunny

Hawkes Bay

A significant portion of our grapes are grown in close proximity to the famous Gimblett Road growing area in the Hawkes Bay. The free draining gravelly soil here has a devigourating effect on vines and results in red wines with enhanced structure, flavour and colour.

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