Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020

This densely coloured wine shows lovely aromatics with layers of dark berries, cassis, and roasted coffee bean, mingling with floral and spice nuances. The palate is rich and concentrated with a soft plush mid-palate framed by finely textured tannin and integrated oak. While approachable in its youth, this wine will benefit and gain additional complexity from careful cellaring.

2020 will be remembered as a great Hawkes Bay vintage. Early season rainfall enabled healthy vines to get established followed by a hot and dry Spring. Some cooler weather in January ensured natural acidity and freshness was retained in the grapes, then a warm dry harvest period allowed the fruit to be harvested in great condition with good ripeness.

Grown entirely in the Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawkes Bay, our vineyards contributed parcels of exceptional fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from 2 blocks within our Vidal vineyard and the Merlot is grown on our Omahu Gravels vineyard. The free-draining soils of these sites help ensure balanced fruit and canopy growth, contributing ripe flavours and tannin development. Yields are kept low allowing vines to produce fruit that is richly concentrated in colour, flavour and structure.