A red blend from The Gimblett Gravels sub-region of Hawke’s Bay – the blend varying annually with the vintage. This year is Cabernet Franc 80% and Tempranillo 20% – a quick check through my records show that it was ‘Cabernets’ in ’21 and ’20. A dark carmine red colour in the glass. The perfume is ripe, complex and inviting, with blackcurrant, doris plum, boysenberry and cranberry fruits, with a smoky incense, mocha and fresh tobacco on the nose. A nice mix of juiciness and grip as you taste. There is a backbone of supple tannin, vanilla-flecked oak and a wave of acidity. By no means heavy, there is a graceful ebb and flow through the palate. Some savoury notes creep in – black olive, cedar wood, bacon fat and bay leaf, but it finishes with a freshness and has good length. 91pts
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels ‘The Gimblett’ 2022
