Craggy Range Te Kahu 2019, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Te Kahu is a single vineyard proprietary red wine sourced entirely from Craggy Range’s Gimblett Gravels Vineyard. 2019 vintage is made from a blend of 61% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot. Matured in new French barriques (22% new) for 15 months. “Te Kahu” means “the cloak” in New Zealand’s native Maori language. It symbolizes the mist which rolls down and covers the valley next to Craggy Range’s Giants Winery in Hawkes Bay. Legend has it that this mist was used to protect a mythical Maori maiden from the sun as she visited her lover Te Mata. This is a wine of richness and an abundance of black fruit flavours and a long structured finish. 2019 vintage: Deepest crimson red. Brooding aromatically with notes of cassis, black olive, dried tobacco and the faintest hint of roasted hazelnut. The palate is alive with rich, ripe red to black fruit, with a mid-palate that speaks volumes to the warm and long ripening period. A perfect example of medium-bodied Bordeaux style blends from the Gimblett Gravels. Fermented in closed top stainless steel tanks. Aged in oak barriques, 20% new, for 17 months.