Villa Maria Estate Ngakirikiri 2018

Upon pouring, the deep-ruby-hued 2018 vintage gradually unfolds fragrant aromatics of cassis, violets, and complex wood spices, with graphite, thyme, and clove also emerging from the glass. Layers of concentrated flavours are revealed across a medium to full-bodied frame, with ripe fruit, hints of black olive, and cigar, all wrapped by fine-grained tannins and supportive oak, enhancing texture and richness from start to finish. This vintage will benefit and gain additional complexity from careful cellaring over the next 15+ years. 

The 2018 Hawkes Bay vintage followed one of the warmest summers on record, providing superb conditions for ripening. Heat summation finished well ahead of the long-term average with 1500 Growing Degree Days (GDDs). Although the white harvest commenced early with pressure from untimely rain, thick-skinned, skinned, and later ripening reds were harvested in excellent condition under welcome blue skies and produced the greatest wines of the harvest.

The grapes were destemmed and crushed before a 21-day fermentation, during which the caps were hand plunged three times a day. Post-fermentation, the wine was racked to a 60% new French oak barrique for 20 months of ageing.