Vintage: 2021
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | TR103B21 | 6 x 75 | Screwcap | Available |
Producer
Founded in 1993, by winemaker John Hancock together with Robert and Robyn Wilson, owners of The Bleeding Heart and The Don in London, Trinity Hill has become a byword for quality and consistency. In 2021, Trinity Hill was bought by a group of New Zealand private investors who are passionate about the wine industry, including Director, Mitch Plaw and his business partners, Craig Turner, Mark Sandelin and Michael Nock. Winemaker Warren Gibson has been with Trinity Hill since 1997. He is also in charge of the 80 hectares of vineyard owned by Trinity Hill and knows Hawkes Bay and the Gimblett Gravels exceptionally well. The wines reflect this. Warren and his team make wines that show the best of what Hawkes Bay and the Gimblett Gravels can produce. The wines have an elegance, balance, drinkability and precision of flavour that makes them a joy to drink.
Hawkes Bay
The Hawkes Bay Chardonnay has wonderful balance. Gentle pressing without crushing or de-stemming, a percentage of wild yeast fermentation, ageing in French oak barrels and full malolactic fermentation has resulted in a delicious and very drinkable wine with aromas of citrus and white flowers combined with a rich creamy texture. The 2021 Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of fruit from four subregions. It is quite distinct from Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, with gentle aromas and flavours of stone fruit and lime.
The reds are, if anything, even more impressive. The Hawkes Bay Syrah is from a range of Hawkes Bay vineyards, including properties in the Gimblett Gravels along with fruit from the Red Metal Triangle region and selected hillside sites. The aim was to retain the vibrant fruit of Hawkes Bay, so the wine was only given a short period of ageing in oak. The blackberry, spice and peppery notes shine through on both the nose and palate. The Hawkes Bay ‘The Trinity’ is a Merlot-dominant blend that is supplemented by Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec from various vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels. Rich with soft, ripe tannins and flavours of plum, cassis and spice, it is an impressive wine. For the Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir, a small portion of the fruit undergoes whole-bunch fermentation which adds to the wine’s character. The result is a wine with flavours of fresh raspberry, plum and brambly spice with soft, velvety tannins.
Vineyards
The grapes are sourced from four vineyard sites in three distinct sub regions throughout Hawkes Bay. 50% from the free draining soils of the Gimblett Gravels, 37% from the silty, sandy soils of Haumoana and 13% from the inland sub-region of Ohiti. Yields are controlled to ensure Trinity Hill's philosophy of "quality over quantity". All vineyards are planted using the traditional VSP trellis system, this maximises fruit development and ripening.
Vintage
Weather conditions throughout the 2021 vintage were typical of a Hawke’s Bay summer, with warm sunny days and moderately cool nights. As autumn arrived, the season became cooler yet remained dry, providing ideal ripening conditions.
Vinification
Each vineyard was harvested separately, with the parcels gently pressed without crushing or destemming. Fermentations were carried out using cultured and indigenous yeast, in a combination of stainless steel tanks (70%) and 500-litre French oak puncheons (30%). The former preserving fruit flavour, the latter imparting complexity and texture. Malolactic fermentation was discouraged post-fermentation in order to enhance the freshness of the wine. Ageing on yeast lees for six months further enhanced complexity and mouthfeel.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
On the nose, this wine shows typical fresh aromatics of citrus, grapefruit and ripe stone fruits. These aromas are complemented on the palate by a creamy richness from lees ageing and roasted hazelnuts and almonds, alongside hints of gunflint from the fermentation with indigenous yeasts in barrel.
Alcohol (ABV)
13.5%
Acidity
6.4 g/l
Residual Sugar
1.42 g/l
pH
3.35
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gimblett Gravels | Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc | TR101 | W White | ||
| Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay | TR107 | W White | |||
| Gimblett Gravels Marsanne/Viognier | TR108 | W White | |||
| `The Gimblett` Gimblett Gravels | TR111 | Vegetarian Vegan | R Red | Factsheet | |
| `Homage` Gimblett Gravels Syrah | TR112 | Vegetarian Vegan | R Red | Factsheet | |
| `125 Gimblett` Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay | TR151 | W White | |||
| Hawkes Bay | Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir | TR104 | R Red | ||
| Hawkes Bay Syrah | TR105 | Vegetarian Vegan | R Red | Factsheet | |
| `The Trinity` Hawkes Bay | TR106 | R Red | Factsheet |