Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels, `125 Gimblett` Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay
Vintage: 2021
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | TR151B21 | 6 x 75 | Stelvin Lux | Available |
Producer
Founded in 1993, by winemaker John Hancock together with Robert and Robyn Wilson, owners of The Bleeding Heart Group and The Don in London, Trinity Hill is synonymous with quality and consistency. In 2021, Trinity Hill was bought by a group of New Zealand private investors passionate about the wine industry, including Director, Mitch Plaw and his business partners, Craig Turner, Mark Sandelin and Michael Nock.
Winemaker Warren Gibson has worked at Trinity Hill since 1997. Alongside his winemaking expertise, Warren also manages Trinity Hill’s 80 hectares of vineyards across Hawkes Bay and the Gimblett Gravels. He is well versed in these areas and this knowledge is reflected in his wines. Warren and his team show the best of what Hawkes Bay and the Gimblett Gravels can produce. These are wines defined by elegance, balance, drinkability and flavour precision, making them a joy to drink.
Hawkes Bay
Trinity Hill’s Hawkes Bay Chardonnay is beautifully balanced. The fruit is gently pressed, without crushing or de-stemming, before fermenting with indigenous yeasts. The resulting wine also undergoes full malolactic fermentation, followed by ageing in French oak barrels and is defined by aromas of citrus and white flowers combined with a rich, creamy texture. The Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of fruit from four subregions. It differs significantly from the ‘classic’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc expression, with gentle aromas and flavours of stone fruit and lime.
Trinity Hill’s red wines are, if anything, even more impressive. The Hawkes Bay Syrah is sourced from across Hawkes Bay, including Gimblett Gravels and the Red Metal Triangle. A short period ageing in oak helps retain its vibrant fruit profile, defined by wild blackberry, spice and delicious peppery notes. The Hawkes Bay ‘The Trinity’ is a Merlot-dominant blend supplemented by Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec from various vineyards in Gimblett Gravels. This is an impressive wine with soft, ripe tannins and notes of plum, cassis, and spice. For the Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir, a small portion of the fruit undergoes whole-bunch fermentation, adding to the wine’s character and enhancing notes of fresh raspberry, plum and brambly spice with soft, velvety tannins.
Vineyards
The 125 Gimblett Chardonnay takes its name from the 125 Gimblett Road vineyard, also humbly known as the Tin Shed vineyard. This unique Chardonnay vineyard has silty soils over gravel, and is largely dry farmed, helping create a sophisticated, rich, and refined Chardonnay.
Vintage
2021 was an ideal vintage. Weather conditions leading up to the harvest were typical of a Hawkes Bay summer – warm, sunny days with moderately cool nights. As autumn arrived the season became cooler yet remained dry, providing ideal ripening conditions.
Vinification
The grapes were hand harvested before arrival at the winery where they underwent a gentle press. The juice was then fermented with indigenous yeasts in a combination of new 228 and 500 litre French oak barriques and puncheons. Malolactic fermentation was encouraged to soften the acidity and impart further richness. The wine spent 14 months on yeast lees building further texture and complexity before being racked out of barrel and bottled in June 2022 with no fining and minimal filtration.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
This Chardonnay opens with aromas of white peach, grapefruit and citrus blossom, all of which combine beautifully with nuances of toasted oak. The palate is rich and concentrated with an underlying backbone of acidity keeping the wine precise and focused. Flavours of stone fruit and toasted nuts are complemented by a long and mouthwatering finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
14%
Acidity
6.5 g/l
Residual Sugar
2.61 g/l
pH
3.26
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gimblett Gravels | Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay | TR107 | W | Factsheet | |
| Gimblett Gravels Marsanne/Viognier | TR108 | W | Factsheet | ||
| Gimblett Gravels Syrah | TR110 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `The Gimblett` Gimblett Gravels | TR111 | R | Factsheet | ||
| Hawkes Bay | Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc | TR101 | W | ||
| Hawkes Bay Chardonnay | TR103 | W | |||
| Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir | TR104 | R | |||
| Hawkes Bay Syrah | TR105 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `The Trinity` Hawkes Bay | TR106 | R |