2019 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri Gimblett Gravels Cabernet

97 Points - Cameron Douglas, camdouglasms.com

“A powerful bouquet and palate with core aromas and flavours of fresh and baked blackberry fruits, toasty barrel spice and baked nut, a mineral earthy, almost baked earth, quality then violsts and dark spices. Youthful and taut on the palate with firm wood and fruit tannins, acidi pulls everything together adding its own mouthfeel and thread with a saline note. A wine that will age for 15-20 years at a minimum. Best drinking from 2027 through 2037+.”

96 Points - Bob Campbell

“Dense, inky red with cassis, black berry, dark-fleshed plum, dark chocolate/mocha and spicy oak flavours. A generously proportioned wine with a firm backbone of ripe tannins. Impressive wine with a promising future. Aerate for best results. Villa Maria Back Ground Information Ngakirikiri in Maori, refers to the unique gravel soils that define the Hawkes Bay, Gimblett Gravels growing appellation, a befitting name for this stony Hawkes Bay vineyard sited on what was an ancient riverbed. The Gimblett Gravels sub-region is a majestic site with a reputation for beautiful and thought-provoking wines.”

97 Points - Christine Marsiglio MW, Decanter

“Villa Maria’s icon wine, produced only in exceptional vintages. Always Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, the 2019 also has 5% Merlot, and is aged for 20 months in barrel, 65% new. Ngakirikiri in Māori refers to the unique soils of the Gimblett Gravels, whose diurnal temperature range, low-yielding vines and long growing season give ageworthy, ripe, aromatic reds. Christine Marsiglio MW: The nose is brooding, intense and aromatic – a difficult feat to achieve. Screams Cabernet, yet it’s both elegant and powerful. Top stuff. Freddy Bulmer: Ample intensity on the nose, the palate spicy and full with sundried tomato, basil, cassis and Morello cherry. Pepper spice on the finish, with notes of iron. Huge potential. Roger Jones: Dark, brooding, complex fruit with cedar, violet, refined mocha and meat juices. Seamless, with hints of mint and tomato stalk.”