Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A wonderfully attractive nose of gravel, blackcurrants, lead pencil and wild blackberries. Full-bodied with fine, silky tannins. Vibrant and juicy with a solid core of black fruit adorned by lovely gravel and crushed stone notes. Aging glacially. Terrific. A blend of cab and merlot. Drink or hold.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot from the Gimblett Gravels sub-region, the 2009 Reserve Hawke's Bay Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot was matured 20 months in French oak barriques, 40% new. It displays a deep purple-black color and notes of warm plums, creme de cassis and black cherry compote over pencil shavings, cinnamon stick, cloves, dark chocolate and cedar. The medium bodied palate has plenty of ripe, expressive fruit, lively acid, silky tannins, and a long, pure finish. Delicious now, it should keep through 2018+.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Over the past several vintages, Villa's tannin management in its Reserve Cab-Merlot has evolved to make the wines more approachable young. This blend of 75% Cabernet and 25% Merlot is fleshy and supple without being soft, with leafy cassis fruit framed by hints of vanilla and charred oak.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.