Braided Gravels Merlot
⏳ Drikkevindue
Typically best enjoyed 3 to 10 years from the vintage release, though exceptional vintages can cellar gracefully for up to 12 years.
🍽️ Mad & Vin-match
Slow-roasted rosemary lamb shoulder, grilled prime ribeye steak, or pan-seared duck breast.
✨ Tekniske specifikationer
Hailing from the prestigious Gimblett Gravels sub-region of Hawke's Bay, Villa Maria's Braided Gravels Merlot is a profound expression of one of New Zealand's most unique terroirs. The name pays homage to the ancient, stony, braided riverbed of the Ngaruroro River, which shifted course over a century ago to leave behind deep beds of gravel. Once deemed useless for traditional farming, these free-draining stones absorb the Kiwi sun by day and radiate warmth to the vines by night, allowing the late-ripening Merlot grape to achieve optimal phenolic maturity. Villa Maria, founded by wine pioneer Sir George Fistonich in 1961, crafts this wine with meticulous care, utilizing traditional fermentation followed by aging in fine French oak barriques. The result is a deeply colored, aromatic red boasting luscious notes of dark plum, blackberry, and sweet baking spices, framed by velvety tannins and a distinct mineral elegance.
🍾 Om vinhuset / producenten
Villa Maria blev grundlagt i 1961 af Sir George Fistonich og står i dag som et af New Zealands mest anerkendte og banebrydende vinhuse. Med udgangspunkt i de historiske rødder i Auckland har vineriet opbygget omfattende vinmarksbesiddelser i landets absolutte topprægioner: Marlborough, Hawke's Bay og Gisborne. Villa Maria er berømt for sit kompromisløse fokus på bæredygtighed og kvalitetsdrevet innovation og har spillet en afgørende rolle i udviklingen af moderne newzealandsk vinavl med fokus på regionalt særpræg. Husets alsidige portefølje spænder fra den verdenskendte Private Bin-serie til enkeltmarks- og Reserve-vine med særlig terroirkarakter. Producenten udmærker sig især ved sin sprøde og livlige Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, elegante Pinot Noir, komplekse Chardonnay samt strukturerede rødvinsblends fra Hawke's Bay.