VINEYARDS Parcels of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were hand-picked from selected sites on the  gravel soils of the old Ngaruroro River, and old vine Merlot from the Bridge Pa region.  Bridge Pa Triangle soils feature fine silt loam over red metal gravels, while the gravel sites protected by Roys Hill, feature gravel over fine silt. These sites are free draining and low in fertility, resulting in struggling vines producing fruit of great concentration. Low yielding vines, open canopy management, managed irrigation and Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand farmed were common to all sites. Bridge Pa Merlot delivers ripe, dark plums which compliments the spicy brighter fruits from the gravels. Cabernet thrives on gravel sites and contributes structure, acidity and fragrant berry fruit notes. 

WINEMAKING Batches of hand harvested fruit was chilled overnight before processing the following day. Chilled bunches were hand sorted and de-stemmed, and whole berries were transferred to open fermenters with some foot stomping. Whole bunches were also incorporated in some of the Merlot fermenters. The berries were cold soaked before fermentation, with pumping over twice per day then pressed to barriques at the  end of fermentation. The Merlot and Cabernet matured for 21 months in new and  seasoned French oak barriques. Blended in December 2019 and bottled in January  2020, the final blend is approximately 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

SENSORY An elegant Merlot Cabernet blend which exhibits lifted aromatics of fragrant  berry fruits, sweet French oak, and underlying lavender and thyme. Complex and  textural, seamless tannins harmoniously support red and black fruits, earthiness,  and spice. Tautly poised to develop beautifully with bottle age.

Matt Dicey, Winemaker notes:

“Generous aromas of peach, naval orange and meyer lemons with acacia blossom and a touch of brioche in the background lead to a creamy, and textural palate. Integrated nougat oak, with subtle spice and hints of flint are showcased on the palate. A fine, precise acidity flows through the wine to a persistent finish.” 

Winery notes:

Ghost Town Chardonnay is made from small parcels from our Lowburn Valley Vineyard in Central Otago. Hand-picked and handcrafted crafted in very limited quantities this wine showcases the unique personality of our diverse microclimate and soils. Unfined and vegan friendly.

Elspeth is Mills Reef?s top tier range, produced from their vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels, Hawke?s Bay. This Syrah is intensely concentrated and complex, displaying luscious boysenberry, white pepper spice and liquorice notes.

This Pinot Noir is one of our favourites and comes from Wellington's closest wine region, the Wairarapa; Gladstone, to be precise, where winemaker Karl Johner has what you might call a foot in both camps. The German born winemaker produces wine at his winery in Gladstone in the New Zealand summer. In our winter, he hot foots it back to Germany to work harvest at his winery there.

The wines from both places are classic, elegant expressions of aromatic grape varieties; high points are Pinot Noir, Riesling and Pinot Gris; made in a range of styles.

This Pinot Noir is a dry, medium bodied, earthy and smooth. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. This wine ticks the vegan friendly box.

The Te Rehua Pinot Noir is a unique single vineyard, that brings a richer fruit profile and more robust styled Pinot Noir whilst highlighting the dense tannin structure from Martinborough.

Winemaker's notes

This wine was grown on the Barton Vineyard, Huangarua Road, Martinborough from vines planted in the 1990’s. A combination of deep alluvial gravels from the Martinborough Terraces and an assemblage of many clones to produce a classic example of New Zealand Pinot Noir. Hand harvested fruit was open top fermented using indigenous yeasts in a traditional wooden cuvee. It was hand plunged once a day, with a total vat time of 22 days. After pressing it was matured in 37% new French oak barriques for 20 months. Bottled without fining or filtration, promoting soft mouth feel and texture.  

Tasting

A unique block on Martinborough’s free-draining alluvial gravels closer to the township. Grown on a warm site, that leads to ripe tannin whilst keeping alcohols balanced. This block tends to reward a darker fruit profile, notes of black cherry, plum and spice along with more classical notes of forest floor and licorice. The hallmark of this block is the dense structure and firm tannins that sit upfront on the palate balancing a core of dense black fruits. The inclusion of stems helps to give the wine an aromatic lift and focus. It will continue to develop for up to 15 years and compliment roast meats, game and charcuterie. Serve at 16°C.

Fruit from an established vineyard, grown on the famous alluvial terrace - a quintessentially Martinborough Pinot Noir, with classic savoury characters, lifted spice and supple tannin.

Winemaker's notes

The Kiwa vineyard, in the township of Martinborough is one of the mature plots planted in the district. A combination of deep alluvial gravels for which the Martinborough Terraces are renowned. A combination of Clones UCD 5 and 6 rewards us with a complex and spicy wine.  The fruit was destemmed to an open top fermenter with the inclusion of some whole bunch. It was fermented using indigenous yeast and hand plunged just once a day for soft extraction, with a total vat time of 25 days. After pressing it was matured in 35% new French oak barriques for 20 months. Bottled without fining or filtration, promoting textured mouth feel and balanced fruit complexities.

Tasting

The Kiwa vineyard tends to exhibit complex savoury notes, of bay laurel, green tea and Chinese five spice. These are underpinned by an array of red fruits such as raspberry, sour red cherry and red currant, that sit amidst lifted and floral perfumed notes. The savoury complexity continues through the palate, with a wine that offers both grace and presence. It is bright and expressive with incredible buoyancy, thanks to the taut focus and firm tannins. This helps to tighten the structure giving one confidence to cellar for at least 10 years. Serve at 16°C and match with any game food.

French oak, Gisborne grapes and a great hillside vineyard make this full bodied, weighty, oatmeal tangy Chardonnay one of the jewels in Villa Maria's crown. McDiarmid Hill Chardonnay is 100% Gisborne grown fruit in this big beautiful wine which was fermented with wild yeasts to a bone dry style and had 11 months oak ageing with lees stirring to build softness and weight to the textural, long palate. 

Trademark wines are only made in a good vintage, with fairly small print runs.  They're drinkers and keepers.  Made from 100% Hawke's Bay gold.

Ripe fruit from three of our Trademark Syrah vineyards planted on limestone hillsides and an old riverbed. It shows admirable ripeness and depth of flavour, retaining vibrancy and great complexity on the nose and palate with typical violet, spice, black cherry and subtle white pepper notes. Supple chalky tannins provide a structure that promise time in bottle will be rewarded.

Exceptional North Canterbury Pinot Noir made in small volumes from the evocatively named isolated hill vineyard in Waiau. Spicy aromas and structured tannins lead into a full body wine made using indigenous yeast fermentation and spending 26 days on skins with ageing for 15 months in French oak.

This wine comes from winemaker Dom Maxwell, the talented winemaker at Greystone. Forager is his own personal winemaking project. 

Stone Paddock Chardonnay is a lightly oaked wine. Showing ripe tropical fruit and peach aromas with fine grapefruit and mineral undertones. The gentle influence of oak accentuates the sweet stonefruit, melon and grapefruit flavours. The texture is creamy and luscious with a fine minerality on the finish. 

This is an excellent value Wairarapa Pinot Noir. The grapes are carefully selected to create a great New Zealand Pinot with a medium body and a fruit forward and complex palate.  

Chardonnay with all the bells and fresh citrusy flavour notes adding depth and balance to the smooth creamy notes. Here's a wine that shows how exceptionally well Chardonnay grows in Marlborough. 

The Taylor Pass Pinot Noir fruit is planted on a mixture of soils. Stony soil that contributes fresh floral and red cherry fruit aromas, whereas silty loam soil provides earthy dense tannins and dark berry fruit flavours. The various clones and differing soil types are harvested separately to provide winemakers with as many flavour and texture options to choose from for this single vineyard wine.

The wine showcases an intense bouquet of ripe juicy blackberries and blueberries with hints of baking spices. A harmonious palate delivers some liquorice notes intermingled with black cherries, subtle dried herbs and finishes with round velvety smooth tannins.