95/100 & Gold Medal – International Wine Challenge 2025
Winery notes (2024 Vintage)
"Ripe pear, apple crumble, citrus and attractive floral notes provide a lovely nose. The flavour mirrors the wines aromatic characters while the palate has lovely texture with good weight and roundness while finishing dry.
The grapes for this wine came from our Waihōpai Valley vineyards. The majority was machine picked and fermented in stainless steel while small portion (10%) was handpicked picked and fermented in old French barriques using naturally occurring wild yeast.
The grapes were picked when full of flavour and with a good balance of sugar and acidity. After gentle crushing, the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected, cultured yeasts and left on lees to enhance flavour, complexity and texture. The handpick portion was pressed to old French barriques and allowed to undergo spontaneous fermentation."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, February 2025 (2024 Vintage)
"A soft pink hue ad silver finish leads to a fragrant and aromatic bouquet, white spice and fresh green pear, plenty of quince and apple framed by a lees and youthful energy. A dry wine with weight and texture, a finer satin touch then textures from acidity and fruit tannins, lees and spice. A delicious wine with plenty of mouthfeel and impact from flavour and texture highlights. Best drinking from mid to late 2025 through 2029+."
95/100 IWC Judges' Comments (2024 Vintage)
"Just a tinge of pink. Lemon and lime on the nose with perfume, chamomile and hints of tarragon. Uplifting, refreshing, classy, elegant, quaffable style."