Gimblett Gravels winegrowers reported a "textbook perfect" and remarkably early growing season in 2020. Rainfall from January to April was less than a quarter of the average and the warm, dry growing season led to superb flavour development with the fruit picked in impeccable condition. The challenges lay in Covid. Lockdown created uncertainty as to whether harvest could continue but thankfully it did, and the wines are a shining light from those difficult times. These wines are priced aspirationally, and I may be underscoring some of them as they are built for the future. 2020 Craggy Range Le Sol Gimblett Gravels Syrah Price: $150 Rating: Outstanding Fragrant nose, yeasty warm bread, florality, spices, savoury notes growing, a brightness and clarity. Red fruits mingle with darker fruits, brooding and intense with powerful, chewy tannins a corset to the wine. Black olive, savoury nuances, oak scents, delightful intensity yet poised and balanced. A long, dry close, the flavours hang in the mouth. Power for the future. www.craggyrange.com 2020 Trinity Hill Homage Gimblett Gravels Syrah Price: $150 Rating: Excellent to outstanding A rush of intense berry fruit leads, cedary oak perfume, spices, gravel dust, humus, savoury, nice complexity. Sweet fruit echoes the nose, shifting to savoury qualities, an almost balsamic umami quality, fine tannins running to a long, dry finish. Understated yet lots going on, an elegance to this, the tannins growing with time. Lovely persistence. www.trinityhill.com 2020 Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon Price: $120 Rating: Excellent Perfumed, wisps of milk chocolate, olive and plum. Silky entry then a rush of tannin and acidity showcases the structure. Sweetly fruited, shifting from raspberry to plum on its medium to full-bodied frame adding gravel and earthy touches. A tangy aspect acts as a foil to the plushness, while the acidity brings raciness. Already approachable. www.church-road.com 2020 Elephant Hill Stone Merlot Cab Sav Cab Franc Price: $59 Rating: Excellent A touch of funky wildness draws you in: fragrance, mint/leaf, black tea leaf, wood smoke, fruit supporting the whole. Richly fruited, hints of toffee edging to chocolate, yet freshness, too. You expect richness here, but there’s a delightfully cool undercurrent bringing elegance. Aeration sees this tighten up, somewhat hiding its charms. www.elephanthill.co.nz 2020 Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Malbec Price: $120 Rating: Excellent Dusty, earthy nuances, plum/berry compote, forest floor, a savoury aspect. Darker fruits, quite rich, a savoury/umami undercurrent echoes the nose. Sweeter fruit characters, a ripe fruited cuddliness, open and drinkable from the get go, although the acid backbone and building tannins remind you of the intent behind it. www.church-road.com 2020 Elephant Hill Gimblett Gravels Hieronymus Price: $120 Rating: Excellent Brooding dark fruits, bloody, freshening leaf tinged fragrance beginning to appear. Richly silken entry, a darker, earthy undercurrent, warm leather, this treads a different path. Brightness to the acidity, a fine tannic backbone that complements the wine’s fruit depth, all with complexity and interest. www.elephanthill.co.nz
