Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"A rich and vibrant aroma of dark cherry, plum and mocha with a touch of wet stone, graphite with hints of all spice, leather notes, underlining the complex bouquet. A silky textured seamless concentrated palate with fine grained tannins, and cedar, with a hint of vanilla.
Our Cabernet Sauvignon vines are grown at our Paritua Vineyard on Maraekakaho Road. This part of the vineyard is dry farmed and has not been irrigated for 11 years. The vines are managed to crop light and have good fruit exposure. Fruit thinning takes place to one bunch per cane to maximize ripening potential. Harvest is all by hand once the grapes have achieved physiological ripeness.
Whole bunches are destemmed and partially crushed. After a short cold soak, the ferment is started and kept under 30°C. Regular pump-overs will keep the cap submerged and extract the fine skin tannins present in this wine. Malo-lactic fermentation takes place in tank and the wine is put to barrel post maceration. The wine is aged in barrel for up to two years before blending and bottling. We use French oak barriques of which 50% are new."
Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, June 2025 (2021 Vintage)
"Opaque and concentrated hues of dark purple with a ruby and bright purple rim. Aromas of ripeness and concentration, dark berries and barrel smoke, lots of earth and stone then violets and sweet tobacco. Dry, full-bodied power and youthful tension as the wine touches the palate. Flavours of vanilla and clove then blackberry and dark plum, some savoury spice highlights, violets and plum paste. Tannins have firmness as well as polish, acidity has power offering contrast to the fruit concentration. Well made, dry and lengthy. Delicious with best drinking from 2027 through 2034+."
Reviews for the 2020 vintage below…
5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, March 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"It's wonderfully complex and inviting on the nose with cassis, sweet plum, roasted hazelnut and dried herb characters, followed by a richly expressed palate offering outstanding weight backed by refined texture and finely infused, grainy tannins. Superbly styled with classic structure and frame, finishing impressively long and engaging. At its best: now to 2035."
Rated #4 WineFolio.co.nz Top 10 Bordeaux Varietals Tasting, June 2024 (2020 Vintage)
"A really “dark bloody burgundy” colour. A powerful bouquet – “smells like Old Holborn tobacco” underneath black, spicy fruit. Peppercorn, hay, dried herbs and smoked olive. A good palate weight – smooth but intense. Toasty oak adds an old-school european edge to these New World flavours. Dry and long at the finish."
Gold Medal – Dish Magazine, NZ Bordeaux Reds Tasting, July 2024 (2020 Vintage)
"This berry-saturated cabernet is crammed with cassis, Black Doris plums and heightened florals that’ll have you struggling to take your nose out of the glass. Juicy acidity, great generosity of flavour and a long, chewy finish had this sailing into the top scores."