2019 Villa Maria Ngakirikiri Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon

97 Points, Cameron Douglas
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.