TRINITY HILL GIMBLETT GRAVELS TEMPRANILLO 2022

Trophy for Champion Emerging Red – Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition 2024
Gold Medal – Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition 2024

Winery notes (2022 Vintage)
"The 2022 Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo delivers the richness, generosity, and structure one expects from the variety. Attractive raspberry/blackberry aromas, along with liquorice, sweet spices, and dark chocolate, lead to a palate crammed with red/black fruit flavours. Chalky tannins with the consistency of cocoa powder, and vibrant acidity, contribute a mouthcoating texture and juiciness to the palate, which finishes long, succulent, and refreshing. This wine can be enjoyed in its youth, but it will age well over the next 5 to 8 years. Red meat would be an ideal match as well as traditional Tapas-style dishes. 

Grapes were de-stemmed to open top fermenters. The must was gently plunged over twice per day during fermentation to aid optimum colour and tannin extraction. This was followed by an extended period on skins post-fermentation to soften the tannins and enhance texture and complexity. Once drained off skins, the wine was allowed to settle before being transferred to a combination of new (30%) and seasoned 225-litre French for maturation. After 18 months in barrel, the wine was blended in October and bottled in December 2023 respectively."

Rated Outstanding & 96/100 Cameron Douglas MS, July 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"Fabulous bouquet of dark berries, chocolate, meats and spices. Aromas and flavours of blackberries and milk chocolate, there’s a mix of dark red plum flesh and anise, aged meat and black currant, dark cherry and clove. A lovely wine on the palate with a firm taut texture contrasted by rip red berry fruit flavours, polished tannins with power and energy, plenty of acidity and a lengthy finish. A wine still in its youth with best drinking likely from 2026 through 2036."

94/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, February 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"A grape varietal that has a home in Spain, and in particular in the great wines of Rioja. Although it is a rare find in New Zealand, the bottles that I have tried have mostly been a triumph. This wine, from the renowned Gimblett Gravels sub-region of Hawke’s Bay, was the Champion ‘International Red Wine varieties’ Trophy winner at the New Zealand International Wine Show for the last vintage. A dense, inky black colour in the glass, with equally intense and juicy aromas of blackcurrant, raspberry and blood orange. The nose is also spicy and rich, with liquorice, pepper, nutmeg, pumpkin and cocoa notes. The tannin is powerful – youthful but supple. A zing of acidity carries the palate, giving great length and succulence. Very good now, but has the structure to potentially develop into something even better. For now, decant – or hide away for at least five years."

5 Stars & 18.5+/20 (94) Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, February 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Deep ruby-red, slightly lighter on the rim. This has a mealy bouquet filled with aromas of blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, and an amalgam of spice. Full-bodied, aromas of blackberry intermixed raspberry and plum, dark chocolate, nutmeg, liquorice and dark minerals. A smooth textured palate coated in dark minerals and fine-grained tannins, lively acidity enlivens and drives a long finish. This Tempranillo is succulent and fresh, featuring spice and a mineral-textured palate. Match with charred lamb and wild boar over the next 5+ years. Grapes were destemmed to open top fermenters for extraction and fermentation, then aged in 225-litre French barrels for 18 months, 30% new oak. 14% alc."

4 ½ Stars & Top 5 Cuisine NZ International Reds Tasting, April 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"Deep ruby in the glass with sweet fruit, vanilla, coconut and rich spice on the nose. The palate is well structured, framed nicely by the grainy tannins present but with a succulent and juicy mid-palate and a lovely long finish."

4 ½ Stars Yvonne Lorkin, September 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"The team at Trinity Hill have been growing Tempranillo in their Gimblett Gravels vineyard since forever ago, and if I had a dollar for how many times this wine has scooped gold medals and trophies in the ‘other reds’ category in local wine shows, I’d probably have enough coin to buy another bottle! This Spanish grape has well and truly found a happy home in Hawke’s Bay, creating a wine with an earthy, plum-soaked backbone, pepper and dried herb layers. Tobacco, dark cocoa and rich berry notes wrap up the whole package and assist a long, warm finish."