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Buy OnlineWinery notes (2024 Vintage)
"The first wines that really engaged us were the Cabernet and Merlot dominant blends of the Hawke’s Bay, shared with our mother in the late 90’s. We still have a few wines from that time. They tell a story and are incredibly ageless. So we felt compelled to take a modern spin to the Hawke’s Bay classic, red blend. Making wine in Te Matau a Māui feels like we are going full circle, letting life flow to where it wants to go.
Bright crimson colour, blackberry, spice, earth and bramble. The palate is juicy and elegant with flavours of licorice and herbs. Medium weight with a great acid line and fine tannins. Only 1536 bottles produced.
Our fruit comes from the Organic Paritua vineyard which sits on an old river bed formed by the braided Ngaruroro River. Vines planted in 2003, grow on gently rolling and flat land that lie beneath the limestone rich Raukawa hills. Planted in 2003, the soils are made up of free draining “red metal” gravels overlaid by alluvium derived by loess, volcanic ash, greywacke and limestone.
The Merlot fruit was destemmed directly to an open fermenter. After a few days, wild fermentation spontaneously started and progressed for 20 days with a maximum temperature of 30 deg C. Light plunging by hand occurred once a day. The Cabernet Franc was picked a few days later and fermented as carbonic whole berries for a period of 17 days. Plunged once a day from day 4. The varieties were pressed together to tank for a few days settling, before they were racked to puncheon and barrel to complete malolactic ferment and ageing for 8 months at cool tempereatures. No fining or filtration. Minimal sulphur was added a few months before bottling."
92/100 Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review, August 2024 (2024 Vintage)
"River Flow is always a vibrant and refreshing, lighter expression of Hawke’s Bay. Winemaker Dave Mackintosh crafted this version from 54% cabernet franc and 46% merlot, all from the organic-certified Paritua vineyard. The vines were planted in 2003 on the old braided riverbed.
Perfumed iris, wild raspberry and cedar lifts from the glass. Lighter in weight yet purple-hued, there is an arresting energy behind this lively and tangy wine, just skimming the surface of herbaceousness without crossing into vegetal. The vibrant fruit may not be profound but it has a salivating, delicious quality which delivers length and refreshment. This chillable red will likely develop over the mid-term by virtue of its balance but I see little reason to cellar it—it’s very charming and enjoyable as it is."
