2018 6x75cl

• 75cl bottle

This is a handcrafted wine with much effort made to produce a wine that is a true expression of its site. The wine is deeply coloured and full of primary black fruits, including cherry and blackberry. As a young wine, French oak notes complement the fruit, but with time, complexity and vineyard nuances will predominate. This wine has been sealed with a screw cap to guarantee the quality of each bottle and offer even greater cellaring potential.

Vineyards

The Terraces Vineyard is perched on the steep, North West facing slope above the old Esk Valley winery near Bay View in the North of Hawkes Bay. This sunny, sheltered site was originally planted in the 1940s and then re-established with its current plantings in 1989. It occupies approximately one hectare and is planted with Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc which are harvested and fermented together as a true expression of the vineyard. The soils are complex with low fertility, containing layers of seashell and limestone, interspersed with clay and volcanic ash. The vines are spur-pruned, thinned to one bunch per shoot and hand harvested.

Vintage

The 2018 vintage followed one of the warmest summers on record. This provided red varietals superb conditions for ripening. Although harvest commenced early in March with immediate pressure from rain, the majority of the later ripening reds were harvested in excellent condition under blue skies. Fruit grown on stony free-draining sites maintained a healthy condition and concentrated flavours.

Winemaking

This wine is a true vineyard blend with the individual plots of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc being harvested and fermented together. The grapes were hand harvested, sorted and destemmed to a 80-year-old concrete vat for fermentation. Hand plunging was employed for cap management. The finished wine was aged in 50% French oak barriques for 17 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Casseroles/Stews
• Mild Creamy Cheeses
• Mature Strong Cheeses

An ideal accompaniment to meat and game dishes.