Trinity Hill Hawke's Bay Merlot 2020

Trinity Hill Hawke's Bay Merlot 2020French oak Plum & red berries Chocolate & wood spices Fine tannins "Vibrant, fresh, bright and fruity bouquet of fresh red berries, plums and toasty wood spices. Boysenberry and Doris plums, black currant and kitchen spices of clove and vanilla. Dry with a moderate weight, a core of fruit flavours that reflect the bouquet and a youthful acid line adds crunch while the fine easy tannins add texture and length. A lovely wine, ready to drink from 2021

• French oak
• Plum & red berries
• Chocolate & wood spices
• Fine tannins

"Vibrant, fresh, bright and fruity bouquet of fresh red berries, plums and toasty wood spices. Boysenberry and Doris plums, black currant and kitchen spices of clove and vanilla. Dry with a moderate weight, a core of fruit flavours that reflect the bouquet and a youthful acid line adds crunch while the fine easy tannins add texture and length. A lovely wine, ready to drink from 2021 through 2025" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Oct 2021

"Deep, full, ruby-red with a purple core, lighter purple on the rim. The nose is vibrant and gently full, with aromas of blackberries and plums underlying dusty cocoa. Medium-bodied, nuances of blackberries, plums have a slightly savoury edge, entwined with subtle spices and dark cocoa dusting. The wine has a smooth, powdery tannin grip, leaves a drying mouthfeel. Subtle notes of liquorice and dark herb linger to a black-fruited finish. This is a straightforward Merlot with ripe black fruit, liquorice, cocoa nuances on a soft herbal tannin grip. Match with veal and beef over the next 2-4 years. Fruit from Gimblett Gravels, 93% Merlot 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, destemmed to ferment with a high portion of whole berries, 13.9% alc, 4 weeks post-ferment maceration, aged 7 months in a combination of stainless steel and small French oak barrels" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Oct 2021

"The bright intense purpleness of the Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 ($24) is the perfect tease to a rich, plum and blueberry-boosted, cocoa-crammed wine that has warmth and a lovely woolly texture to cuddle this meaty, Autumnal soupy sensation" Yvonne Lorkin, Feb 2022

Chocolate, plum, and blackberry aromas of Merlot have combined with the aromatic spice of oak aging to produce a fruit-dominant yet complex wine. Soft, ripe tannins make this wine serious yet eminently drinkable. We recommend moderately short-term cellaring (2-5 years).

Weather conditions leading up to the 2020 harvest were typical of a classic Hawke’s Bay summer – long hot sunny days with moderate-cool nights. As Autumn arrived the season became cooler yet remained dry, providing ideal ripening conditions to produce rich, ripe, supple and delicious Merlot.

Several individual parcels were harvested separately and de-stemmed prior to fermentation leaving a high proportion of whole berries. Gentle daily pumping over of the skins during fermentation helped extract a soft, complex structure. Skin maceration was extended for up to 4 weeks following fermentation to further integrate and soften the tannins.

Following seven months aging in a combination stainless steel tanks and small French oak barrels the individual parcels were blended to create the ideal marriage of components.

Food Pairing: It can be enjoyed with a wide range of different foods, particularly lamb and beef.