Article by Rebecca Palmer – Associate Director & Buyer at Corney & Barrow
Click here to read the full article

2015 Reserve Chardonnay
93 points
Salinity, flint and creamy minerality to spare in this lovely Chardonnay, smokiness and a little mint humbug buttery quality. The palate is beautiful, ripe pear and apple, a big thrust of lime and tangerine acidity into a long, balanced finish. 

2016 Salomé

93 points
Majority of the Chardonnay grapes came from the Te Awanga vineyard, with 17% from Bridge Pa Triangle. Matured in French oak, 34% new. A little more toastiness and buttery/oatmeally quality than the Reserve, a little Jack Daniel note, there is a fat lemony fruit and acid quality, and the phenolic grip and acid gives it fine presence and length, finishing with spice and nuttiness.

2018 Sea Sauvignon Blanc
90 pointsInspired by the coastal vineyards of Te Awanga, 50% was fermented in 500-litre oak puncheons and 50% in stainless steel. Peaches and stone fruits, passion fruit and star fruit, talcumy notes and then a big blast of orange and pink grapefruit on the palate with mouth-filling, ripe acidity. 

2016 Stone Syrah
92 points
Stone, represents the Gimblett Gravels, the source of the fruit for this Syrah, which has a lovely bold and plush appeal, ripe blackcurrant fruit with great juiciness, a hint of floral and peppery lift. Fruit is rich, tannins are silky, and the acidity balanced. 

2013 Airavata
94 points
From a great vintage, this is 99% Syrah with 1% Viognier, the fruit coming from Gimblett Gravels and the coastal Te Awanga vineyards. Creamy ripe black fruit on the nose, though plenty of pepper and spice, a crack of black pepper. The silkiness of the tannins and plush fruit gives a smooth, dense mouthfeel and great presence. 

2017 Airavata
93 points
In 2017 this is all Gimblett Gravels fruit, though still with 1% Viognier in the blend. This was bottled, but pre-release tasting of this vintage. Lifted violet and florals, more than the 2013 in this very young wine, such an intense kirsch-like fruit. On the palate it still has that cherry and red plum succulence, but there is cocoa and smokiness and good balancing acid. 

We are thrilled to share this news with you! 

The 2015 Airavata Syrah and 2016 Reserve Cabernet Franc Cabernet Merlot have been awarded a Double Gold Medal and our 2017 Salomé Chardonnay also picked up a Gold Medal from 2019 Six Nations Wine Challenge. 

The Six Nations Wine Challenge is one of the most prestigious annual wine shows in the world. The challenge engages one of the leading wine critics in each of the six nations: Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Chile and South Africa, inviting the top 100 wines the country offers for judging. The 6 critics then form the panel of judges that assess the 600 wines in Sydney, across 16 classes, to find some of the greatest wines of the new world producing nations. Bob Campbell MW is New Zealand’s representative Judge.

Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers District is home to some of New Zealand's finest full-bodied red wines. And for the challenging 2017 vintage, both our Airavata and Stone Syrah were selected by Sydney based Master of Wine, Andrew Caillard MW to represent the growing district. 

Although the two selected Syrahs are not available for purchase yet, current vintages are available online 2015 Airavata , 2016 Stone Syrah

Since the 2008 vintage, a range of twelve Gimblett Gravels red wines have been independently selected to represent the winegrowing district and it is our pleasure to be listed with other great Gimblett Gravels producers.
Click here to find out more about Gimblett Gravels Annual Selection

2015 Airavata Syrah

An emerging star. The very classy, stylish 2015 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested in the Gimblett Gravels (71 per cent) and at Te Awanga (29 per cent), co-fermented with a splash of Viognier (1.7 per cent of the blend), and matured for 26 months in French oak casks (40 per cent new). It has deep, bright, youthful colour, with a beautifully fragrant, fresh, spicy bouquet. A full-bodied, graceful, supple red, it has concentrated, plummy, slightly peppery and nutty flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, and a very harmonious, finely textured, persistent finish. Already delicious, but still unfolding, it should break into full stride from 2022 onwards.

2015 Hieronymus

The powerful, sturdy, rich 2015 vintage (5*) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (41 per cent), Merlot (22 per cent), Cabernet Franc (17 per cent), Malbec (12 per cent) and Tempranillo (8 per cent), estate-grown in the Gimblett Gravels (58 per cent) and the Bridge Pa Triangle (42 per cent). Matured for 26 months in French oak casks (50 per cent new), it is a boldly coloured, fruit-packed red, with a fragrant, spicy bouquet. Still youthful, it is full-bodied, with dense, well-ripened blackcurrant, plum, spice and nut flavours, hints of pepper and licorice, good tannin backbone, and a long, very harmonious finish. Best drinking 2022+.

2017 Salomé

The very youthful, tightly structured 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Te Awanga (principally) and in the Bridge Pa Triangle, and fermented and matured for a year in French oak casks (33 per cent new). Bright, light lemon/green, it has an inviting, complex, fragrant bouquet. Intensely flavoured, it is vibrant, peachy and citrusy, with well-integrated, biscuity oak, good acid spine and a persistent, harmonious finish. Full-bodied, crisp and highly concentrated, with obvious potential, it's well worth cellaring to 2022+.

2015 Airavata
A compelling rendition; the impressively complex bouquet shows blackberry, Black Doris plum, dark spice, cedar and cocoa characters with nuances of floral and game. The palate is superbly concentrated and weighted, delivering waves of delicious flavours and rich texture, brilliantly structured by seamlessly woven tannins. Sumptuous and graceful, destined for a long life. At its best: 2020 to 2032.

This is profound and compelling; the superbly expressed bouquet shows crème de cassis, Black Doris plum, vanilla, spicy oak and cocoa characters with hints of dried herb and mixed spice. The palate delivers outstanding concentration and depth, wonderfully complemented by layers of rich texture and polished tannins, finishing impressively long and engaging. A blend of 41% cabernet sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec and 8% Tempranillo. At its best: 2024 to 2035

2017 Salomé

Seductive and sensuous, this splendidly composed chardonnay shows golden peach, rockmelon, lemon peel and brioche characters with nuances of vanilla and cedar. The palate is superbly weighted and expansive, delivering delectable fruit flavours together with stylish oak infusion, finishing persistent and creamy. It is opulent yet elegant with layers of fine texture. At its best: now to 2025

2017 Salomé Chardonnay
"Immediately complex with a Meursault-like bouquet of cashew spice, cold smoke, grapefruit peel, apple and peach. A complex and lengthy wine on the palate with flavours that mirror the nose. Satin texture with a light creamy butter note and a bit of new oak. Primed for cellaring with drinking from 2021/22 and through to 2030. An excellent wine." 97 points - Cameron Douglas MS
"Only the second vintage of Elephant Hill's flagship chardonnay with just 111 cases produced. Most of the grapes from Te Awanga with some from a low-cropped section of their Bridge Pa vineyard. Concentrated yet restrained chardonnay that is rather taut at this early stage with chalky, mineral, citrus, brioche and bran biscuit flavours. Should develop well with bottle age. Drink now - 2025." 95 points - Bob Campbell MW

2015 Hieronymus 
"Youthful, powerful and focused bouquet of Hawkes Bay red wine. The Cabernet is the driving force on the nose with cigar and blackberry fruit, the Franc is unmistakable with olive and sweet leaves, violet and dark berry; the Malbec highlights new oak with bitter chocolate and black cherry note; the Merlot brings everything together with flavours of plum and softness. Other flavours include marmite and barrel spices. A youthful example with big tannins and acidity to match and plenty new oak, complex and lengthy finish. Cellar till at least 2025 before sampling again. This will be a twenty-five year wine. Cellar properly and this wine will reward." 98 points- Cameron Douglas MS
"280 cases made. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec and tempranillo. Big, dense red with concentration and power. Layers of berry, dried fruits, spice, cedar and a suggestion of floral characters. A very complex wine with a higher level of dry extract (a measure of flavour concentration) than any wine previously made at Elephant Hill. Drink now – 2030" 97 points- Bob Campbell MW