• French oak
• Berry & plum
• Violet & spice
• Polished tannins

"Intense, seamless red from a stellar vintage. It shows old-vine density with a silken texture and berry, spice, floral, violet and classy French oak. A wine of subtlety, with impressive underlying power demonstrated by a lingering finish. Kate Radburnd claims it will age beautifully. I agree" Bob Cambell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Feb 2022

"Sweetly ripe and splendidly complex with blackcurrant, Black Doris plum, green olive, floral and cedar nuances, it’s gorgeously refined in the mouth displaying fine texture and polished tannins. Classically styled with sophistication, structure and persistence. At its best: 2024 to 2035" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2022

"Another benchmark from Kate Radburnd. Made with 60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon delivering a bouquet of baking spices and dark plum, blackberry and sweet tobacco. A layer of leesy savoury complexity adds breadth and depth. Youthful too with a fresh appeal and violet lift. Classic flavours and textures on the palate with a core of ripe soft plum fruits cushioned my oak sweetness and fine tannin structure. The cabernet delivers the muscle and power with a stony mineral core and flavours of dark berries then violet and olive. Very lengthy finish, this wine’s a keeper. Great drinking today and through 2034+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Feb 2022

"Deep, full ruby-red, lighter on edge. The nose is elegantly presented, softly with deep aromas of red plum, cassis, layered herbaceous vine leaf, menthol, violet, unveiling liquorice, cedar, nutmeg. Full-bodied, aromas of red plums, cassis form a radiant core, intertwined vine leaf, peppermint, black liquorice, delicate oak spice, black pepper and cedar lend a lasting sustained finish. The fruit is youthful succulent with excellent depth and acidity balance. Fine-grained tannin framed a fine structure and a velvety mouthfeel. This Merlot-Cabernet shows refined fruit and oak details; it possesses complex aromatic layers, suave structure and age-ability. Match with beef wellington and venison loin over the next 10+ years. Cabernet fruit from gravel sites, Merlot from gravel sites and Bridge Pa, destemmed and whole berries in open-top fermenters, foot stomped, cold soaked, fermented in cool-moderate temperature to 14% alc, blended and aged for approx 20 months in old and new French oak barriques, approx 60% Merlot 40% Cabernet" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Feb 2022

A ripe expressive Merlot Cabernet blend which reflects the strength of the 2019 vintage. A concentration of lavender, plum and wild herbs are complexed with fine French oak. Abundant gentle tannins complete the structure of this wine, delivering lingering texture and lovely gracefulness. Elegant and beautifully fruited showing wonderful restraint which will age superbly.

Parcels of Merlot and Cabernet were sourced from old vines from three selected sites on the gravels of the old Ngaruroro River, and old vine Merlot from the Bridge Pa region. Bridge Pa Triangle soils feature fine silt loam over red metal gravels, while the gravel sites protected by Roys Hill, feature gravel over fine silt. All these sites are free draining and low in fertility, resulting in struggling vines producing fruit of great concentration. Low yielding vines, open canopy management, managed irrigation and Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand farmed were common to all sites. Bridge Pa Merlot delivers ripe dark plum fruits which compliment the spicier brighter Merlot fruit from the gravels. Cabernet thrives on gravel sites and contributes, structure, acidity and fragrant blackcurrant fruit notes.

Hawkes Bay’s 2019 growing season started with a wet spring, resulting in lower yields and smaller berry size. A warm and dry period after Christmas, extending to a long hot autumn with cool nights ensured fresh acidity and the harvested grapes displayed wonderful intense fruit flavour. Higher growing temperatures and lower rainfall, coupled with a lighter crop resulted in an early start to vintage.