Winemaker Notes
-Wine Advocate
Craggy Range's Gimblett Gravels vineyard supports 200 acres of vines, the majority of which are Bordeaux varieties. Thirty-six varietal plots are matched to the variations in depth and texture of the gravel soils of the Ngaruroro River old stream bed. Of these, six are planted to 27 acres of Syrah, and two of these, lying on soils higher in gravel and lower in loam, yield fruit for Le Sol ("the soil"). Vines in these two parcels are of an old, pre-phylloxera selection of Syrah thought to have been brought to New Zealand by James Busby in the 1830s. Density of planting is an intense 1,335 to 2,105 per acre, and the vines are cane-pruned and the shoots vertically positioned. Extensive shoot, leaf and cluster thinning reduce yield and maximize exposure to the sun and reflected heat from the stones.
Syrah is the last variety to be harvested in this vineyard, hand picked very late in the latter part of April when the berries are slightly wrinkled and have reached 24º to 27º brix. The grapes are chilled overnight to 45ºF, sorted and destemmed directly into the tank, with part the fruit going in as whole clusters depending on maturity. Following an eight to ten-day cold soak, fermentation is initiated with indigenous yeasts and the cap regularly hand-plunged.
Crafted on the French model of Syrah, Craggy Range Le Sol is deep black purple in color, with heady aromas of sweet black berry fruit, blueberries, exotic spices, black pepper and a hint of dustiness. These complex impressions are confirmed on the dense, highly defined palate set in a structure of sweetly elegant, tight tannins and finely honed acidity. The finish is long, penetrating and integrated.
Professional Ratings
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
An eclectic region on the east coast of the North Island, Hawkes Bay extends from wide, fertile, coastal plains, inland, to the coast range, whose peaks reach as high as 5,300 feet. While the flatter areas were historically more popular because they are easier to cultivate, their alluvial soils can be too fertile for vines. In the late 20th century, the drive for quality led growers to the hills where soils are free-draining, limestone-rich and more suited to producing high quality wines.
Over the passing of time, the old Ngaruroro River laid down deep, gravelly beds, which were subsequently exposed after a huge flood in the 1860’s. In the 1980s growers identified this stretch, which continues for approximately 800 ha, and named it the Gimblett Gravels. The zone has proven to be ideal for the production of excellent red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
Today the area takes well-earned recognition for its Bordeaux blends and other reds. Expressive of intense stewed red and black berry with gentle herbaceous characters, Gimblett Gravels wines are suggestive of their cool climate origin, and on par with other top-notch Bordeaux blends around the globe.
Chardonnay is the top white grape in Hawkes Bay, making elegant wines, strong in stone fruit character. Sauvignon blanc comes in close behind, notable for its tropical, fruit forward qualities.