• French oak
• Dark berries
• Rich florals
• Lingering finish

"Intense, almost juicy red with impressive density and power. Cassis, blackberry, red-fleshed plum, dark chocolate and liquorice characters give a mega-flavour hit. It lacks a little complexity but that could change with bottle age" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Jul 2022

"Splendidly composed and structured, showing blackcurrant, rich floral, dried herb and spicy oak aromas, it's flavoursome and generous on the palate with excellent depth and textured mouthfeel. It's sturdy and robust, yet beautifully polished and lingering with complex flavours. At its best: now to 2035" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2022

"Pure, ripe and complex bouquet of dark berries and primary red fruit scents. Blackberry and dark cherry, boysenberry and Doris plum then aromas of oak and spices - clove and baked vanilla with some anise moments, toasty barrel and ironsand minerality. Excellent complexity and concentration on the palate. Fruit flavours reflect the bouquet accentuated by a strong backbone of acidity and abundance of tannins and flavour. A lengthy complex finish can only lead to an even better wine if allowed to develop and age. Best drinking likely from 2028 through 2040 if stored well" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jul 2020

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. While approachable in its youth, this wine will benefit and gain additional complexity from careful cellaring.

2020 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.