Vintage: 2018
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | TR106B18 | 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 vineyards predominantly in the Gimblett Gravels region of Hawkes Bay. The soils are deep river gravels, left by the Ngaruroro River as it changed course over many thousands of years. These free-draining gravels can be more than 100 metres deep. Their low fertility, along with the ability to control vine vigour by controlling soil moisture, give small crops with highly concentrated flavours and aromas.
Vintage
2018 began with a very warm early season in Hawkes Bay, with a cool and humid late summer and autumn, which allowed the fruit to retain freshness during the ripening period. The 2018 vintage provided the perfect conditions to produce rich, supple and delicious ripe red varietals.
Vinification
Individual vineyard blocks were harvested separately and then gently destemmed prior to fermentation. Subsequently, gentle daily pumping over of the skins during fermentation helped extract a soft, complex structure. Following fermentation, the skin maceration was extended for up to four weeks to further integrate and soften the tannins. The parcels spent 15 months ageing in a combination of small French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks, before blending and bottling.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
This wine has perfumed aromas of leather and plums derived from the Merlot, with hints of spice and red fruit characters from the Cabernets. The palate is rich and supple, with ripe tannins and an elegant finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
13%
Acidity
6.1 g/l
Residual Sugar
2.17 g/l
pH
3.73
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 Chardonnay | TR103 | Vegetarian | W White | |
| Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir | TR104 | R Red | |||
| Hawkes Bay Syrah | TR105 | Vegetarian Vegan | R Red | Factsheet |