2020 The Gimblett Gimblett Gravels, Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels

• Style: Bordeaux Blend, structured and poised
• Taste: Blackcurrant, dark plum, bramble with savoury oak and cedar
• Food: Roast beef, grilled lamb, Wellington, Sunday rib roast
• Occasion: Sunday lunch, weeknight, special dinner
• Serve: 14% ABV, 15–21 days skin contact, 18 months French oak

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Blackcurrant depth and savoury breadth define this vintage. Dark plum and bramble emerge alongside fresh cedar and vanilla oak, while fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity keep the palate vivid and compelling. The structure speaks of serious winemaking: concentrated, textural, with the kind of balance that invites another glass.

The Winery — Trinity Hill

Established in 1993, Trinity Hill recognised the outstanding potential of Gimblett Gravels soils early and pioneered planting on what was then barren ground. Today, winemaker Warren Gibson—steering the house since 1997 and its 80 hectares of vineyard—channels deep knowledge of Hawke's Bay terroir into wines of elegance, precision, and drinkability. The 2020 vintage benefited from long, hot, sunny days tempered by cool nights and dry autumn weather that preserved natural acidity while building depth. Fifteen to twenty-one days on skins and eighteen months in French oak (53% new) refined the tannins and complexity into a wine that shows what the region can produce at its finest.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This is food-first drinking without pretension. Roasted beef, grilled lamb, Wellington with red wine sauce, and Sunday rib roasts all find their match in this blend's power and balance. The Cabernet Franc (50%) lends fragrance and refinement, Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure, and Merlot softens the whole. Vegetarian and vegan-friendly, it sits equally well at weeknight tables and weekend celebrations. The acidity and tannin profile suggest enjoying it now or cellaring for further development. If you're exploring what a full bodied red wine from New Zealand can achieve, this represents the finest expression of what Gimblett Gravels soils and Gibson's discipline can deliver.