Trinity Hill HOMAGE Shiraz Viognier Hawke's Bay NZ

The musts from each grape variety, 44% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, 12% Syrah and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, are prepared separately, and blended after 12 months ageing in French oak. The result is a complex, fruit dominant wine, with many nuances on both the nose and palate. The blackberry and black pepper nuances of Syrah, the leather and plum aromas of Merlot, the aromatic spice and red currant character of Cabernet Franc plus the cassis and spine from Cabernet Sauvignon, have combined to produce a complex, fruit dominant wine. The sensitive oak ageing has added a further dimension to the wine without being obvious. Richness and soft, ripe tannins make this wine a serious yet eminently drinkable wine. (12 x 75 cl)

The colour is a deep, vibrant crimson; blackberry, black pepper and tobacco aromas and flavours are prominent on the nose and palate. Ripe yet soft tannins give structure, and the wine makes a particularly good accompaniment to lamb and poultry. (12 x 75 cl)

A complex vinification involving part fermentation in oak has produced an elegant, balanced wine with fine fruit characters. It is a wine that ages well, developing rich flavours in the bottle. (12 x 75 cl)

Characters of black fruits, such as plums, blackcurrant and cherry are evident, along with raspberry aromas. However, this wine is more about texture and structure than primary fruit, with complexity derived from the different clones and winemaking techniques used. We expect the wine to gain further complexity with bottle age as secondary characters of mushrooms and undergrowth develop. 2-3 years bottle aging is recommended (12 x 75 cl)

This wine is made from grapes grown in three different vineyard sites on the Heretaunga plains. The nose is fresh and fragrant with an attractive floral bouquet, and the wine is deliciously dry and crisp on the palate. (12 x 75 cl)

Hawkes Bay has a unique micro climate where vines reach deep into the stony, free draining soil of the old Ngaruroro riverbed, sheltered from the prevailing Westerly winds, basking in an abundance of dry, warm weather. At Trinity Hill's Gimblett Road Vineyards, the river stones gently release their heat long after the sun has set. This helps to promote perfect ripening of the grapes. Vines are planted, trained and pruned to expose as much leaf and fruit to sunlight as possible. North-South planted vine rows allow the mid day sun to warm the ground between rows, while removal of shoots and flowers early in the season reduces the crop level and opens the vine out to light and air. Using these techniques, the winegrowers at Trinity Hill grow moderate crops to consistently produce concentrated flavour and colour intensity in the finished wine. This wine is made from grapes grown in three different vineyard sites on the Heretaunga plains. Passionfruit and nectarine flavours typical of Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc complement the fresh, lively gooseberry character as well as crisp acidity balancing the wine. (12 x 75 cl)

Deeply coloured, a rich complex wine with grapefruit and pineapple flavours associated with Hawkes Bay Chardonnays. Prior to bottling the wine has been aged in French oak barriques, 70% being new oak to give additional weight and character. (12 x 75 cl)

Hawkes Bay has a unique micro climate where vines reach deep into the stony, free draining soil of the old Ngaruroro riverbed, sheltered from the prevailing Westerly winds, basking in an abundance of dry, warm weather. At Trinity Hill's Gimblett Road Vineyards, the river stones gently release their heat long after the sun has set. This helps to promote perfect ripening of the grapes. Vines are planted, trained and pruned to expose as much leaf and fruit to sunlight as possible. North-South planted vine rows allow the mid day sun to warm the ground between rows, while removal of shoots and flowers early in the season reduces the crop level and opens the vine out to light and air. Using these techniques, the winegrowers at Trinity Hill grow moderate crops to consistently produce concentrated flavour and colour intensity in the finished wine. The handpicked grapes were gently destemmed and lightly crushed to leave a large portion of uncrushed berries. Fermentation took place in a closed stainless steel fermenter and the cap was pumped over twice daily with light aeration for optimum color and tannin extraction. An extended post-fermentation maceration complexes the tannins, softening and stabilising the wine. The wine was subsequently aged in a mixture of new and older French and American oak barriques. Malolactic fermentation took place in the barrel. Regular racking for clarification and controlled introduction of oxygen to the wine was introduced. The wine was blended after 14 months oak aging and bottled in late-September 2001, without fining but with light filtration. The colour is a deep, vibrant crimson. Blackberry, black pepper, savoury and spice elements are prominent. Multi-layered complexity is the aim. Powerful but ripe and round tannins give the wine great structure. Oak aging plays a minor part and the wine lives on its fruit. Combined with the good acidity, these characteristics mean excellent aging potential. Development of mineral, earthy and tarry characters likely during bottle aging, resulting in a wine that is distinctly Northern Rhone-like rather than resembling any thing Australian. (12 x 75 cl)

The grapes were hand picked at a good maturity level, with a little botrytis influence, maximizing and diversifying aromas and flavours. They were rapidly and gently whole bunch pressed to produce a rich, fruit driven wine with low phenolics. The juice was briefly cold settled to clarify it and then fermented in both stainless steel tanks and older oak barrels, with full malo-lactic fermentation to add complexity and texture. Flavours and aromas of Nashi pear and spice are evident. The rich, oily texture and fullness, even though the wine is essentially dry, are the result of ripe grapes. This is a great wine to drink on its own or it would fit well with Asian style food. Serve lightly chilled. (12 x 75 cl)