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Esk Valley Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec

Esk Valley Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot2018

£18.00 £15.50

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This is a full-bodied rich red blend. Densely coloured, it has a bouquet of blackberry and cherry with subtle oak seasoning, while the palate is softly textured and generous in nature. Due to its ripened tannins, the wine can be enjoyed young but will gain further complexity with age.

Why we love it: 

A delish Bordeaux Red Blend

Drink with: 

Beef and venison

Tech

Country
New Zealand
Region
Hawke’s Bay
Vintage
2018

Producer

Esk Valley

With vines that date back to 1933, ‘Esk Valley’ is a Hawke’s Bay winery that acts as a colourful gateway into the past of New Zealand. Originally the site of the Glenvale winery were planted in the ‘Esk Valley’ area after an earthquake changed the course of the Esk River two years prior. While Glenvale was a prominent winery at the time, the 80’s saw price wars where sadly Glenvale could not withstand the hit. Lucky for us, the great Sir George Fistonich of ‘Villa Maria Estates’ took interest in the small winery’s unique location and facilities and saw the potential for another great winery to take its place. He purchased the property in 1987 and from there ‘Esk Valley’ was born.

Flash forward 30 years and ‘Esk Valley’ is currently operating as an independent boutique winery with it’s own vineyards, team and provisions. The incredible original concrete vats from Glenvale are still being used to make some of Esk Valley’s wines today. 

‘Esk Valley’ wines are internationally recognised and win awards for its unique style. Their simple, honest and hands-on approach has garnered them recognition all over New Zealand as well as a fair amount of international acclaim. What truly makes ‘Esk Valley’ a winery to marvel is that each bottle in its collection holds a memory, a stamp of its people and environment that helped bring it to fruition. Each has its own story to tell and adds to the ‘Esk Valley’ reputation.

The wine portfolio of ‘Esk Valley’ is a fairly significant one boasting over 12 varietals including the classics: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir as well as a number of others. Our favourites we think you can’t miss are their ‘Verdelho’ - a zesty, character driven wine with peach and mandarin at its core. The Rosé is dry in style while still boasting strawberries and cream notes. ‘The Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec’ blend is a dark berry forest storm.

To find out more about the entire collection of Esk Valley wines, you can visit their website here.

Region

Hawke’s Bay

Back in 1851, Hawkes Bay was the first region in New Zealand to have a winery established, ‘The Mission Estate’. But it didn’t stop there, when it comes to wine production, Hawkes Bay is New Zealand’s second largest region, with a 50/50 split between the red and white wines, a fantastic variety of styles flow from its vineyards. The areas tops reds are Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, typically boasting subtle herbaceous notes and intense berry/cassis flavour.

Being New Zealand’s oldest wine region mixed with the fact the majority of vineyards are still family owned results in a rich culture with wild variation between each vintner and the ethos behind their bottles. Naturally, this has drawn the attention of the public and with numerous trails that highlight the artisan producers and Art Deco architecture wine tourism has excelled in the area.

Gimblett Gravels is Hawkes Bay’s wine area with the most fame. Although unplanted until the early 1980’s as it was common belief high quality grapes couldn’t be grown in the area, methods improved and tastes changed and the area come into its own. In 2001 winegrowers and producers united to form the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association, with this unity, the association was able to promote the areas wines to the world stage. The associations brand is based on the French concept of terroir, abiding by the strict classification rules, primarily governed by soil type. Gimblett Gravels was the first New World district to receive this designation, with the Gimblett Gravels wine growing district covering over 800ha, being stringently based on the gravel based soils originating from the old Ngaruroro River exposed after heavy flooding in the 1860s.

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