Image 1 of 4
Image 2 of 4
Image 3 of 4
Image 4 of 4
WINEMAKERS COMMENTS
This wine was made with the idea of an early release without sacrificing complexity. Indulge in the rich flavours of this Cabernet Sauvignon blend, where dark cherry and chocolate notes take centre stage with layers of ripe fruit and a touch of spice. This wine pairs beautifully with hearty dishes like grilled steak or rich pasta. To be enjoyed immediately and for several years, this wine will hold its own amongst older relatives.
VINTAGE
2O22 was a complicated vintage therefore winemakers and viticulturists drew from their years of experience working closely with one another, watching the weather forecasts continuously throughout the day, to ensure picking scheduling was exact, maximising the sun and balancing with the fruit ripening.
-
Cornerstone Vineyard – Gimblett Gravels (1OO%)
Like all vineyards on the Gimblett Gravels, the vines sit on free draining soils – dubbed Omahu soils - left over from the 1867 flooding of the Ngaruroro River. The wines produced from this area are rich in complexity and flavours.
The Cornerstone vineyard is the jewel in the crown (well we think so) producing wines of such exquisite structure and longevity.
-
Fifty percent of the wines were fermented naturally which added to the complexity of the palate structure. All wines were aerated at the beginning of their ferments to ensure robust yeast populations before they went into their anaerobic stage. Once dry the wines were pressed off and racked into the barrel where they underwent natural malolactic fermentation in Spring. Just prior to the new harvest, the wines were blended and bottled.
VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon 69%; Merlot 26%; Malbec 5% ALCOHOL: 12.6%
TOTAL ACIDITY: 6.OgL
PH: 3.7
RESIDUAL SUGAR: nil
STD DRINKS = 75Oml: 7.5; 375ml: 3.7
FRUIT HANDLING: Machine Harvested; Hand plunged and Pumped Over POST FERMENT: 1OO% oak maturation for 1O months; 3O% new oak
FINING: This wine is suitable for a plant based dietBOTTLED: April 2O23
-
93/100 Points | Excellent
A distinctive bouquet and palate filled with flavours of blackberry fruits and boysenberry, dark plums, chocolate and smoky barrel spices. Firm and dry on the palate with plenty of tannins and acidity to tame with time, flavours of blackberry fruits, iron sand, wood smoke and violets. There’s a leesy layer that needs time to integrate along with the crumbled chalky tannins. The flavours and textures are strong with some core concentration, so this is a wine that will show the benefits of cellaring. Best drinking from 2025 through 2031+.”
Cam Douglas MS
JAN 2O24