News

You’ll spot these signs at Gimblett Gravels vineyards…premium grapes guaranteed 👌#gimblettgravels ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago

This Merlot based blend, grown in the Gimblett Gravels, is smooth and full bodied, bursting with flavours of blackcurrant, dried herbs, plums and blackberry. A beautifully complex wine 🍷 ... See MoreSee Less

7 days ago

Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association was established in 2001 with a collective aim to produce wines of the finest quality and character from a unique soil and microclimate. A fully registered trademark, only members of the Association are entitled to brand their wines as GIMBLETT GRAVELS. ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

Get @reshare_app • @christinakpickard Tasting the 2023 Gimblett Gravel Annual Selection is a particularly moving exercise in memory, having seen the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, which, off the back of two earlier deluges, tore through New Zealand’s North Island in February 2023, right before harvest.

Subsequently, the 2023 selection is the smallest release in the 16 years of annual vintage selections, with just six wines instead of 12, which is entirely understandable; That anyone produced quality wine under the circumstances is testament to the region’s resilience, teamwork and talent.

The free-draining Gimblett Gravels soils fared better from the rain than other parts, and the late-ripening nature of the red varieties meant that pickers weren’t in the middle of harvest when the weather goddesses reared their heads in anger.

Overall, I thought the two Syrahs shone brightest, achieving lovely perfume and drinkability. But across the board wines reflected the season, with balance and honesty. Many thanks to @gimblettgravels for the opportunity to taste through the latest. See my individual notes in the comments below. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago

The 2026 @hawkesbaywineauction is a year away, but we’re already planning a special blend for the event. So grateful to our producers who have kindly offered to donate wine for our Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association Lot #gimblettgravels ... See MoreSee Less

4 weeks ago

Deep purple with a perfumed nose of boysenberry, spice and violets. Fabulously concentrated, structured and age-worthy #GimblettGravels Villa Maria Estate ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

We have a bit of a thing for gravels #GimblettGravels ... See MoreSee Less

2 months ago

Just three sleeps until the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction! So many amazing wines, such a fantastic cause Cranford Hospice🍷🍷AUCTION LOT 2 – GIMBLETT GRAVELS WINEGROWERS ASSOCIATION
Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association 2024 Assemblage Cabernet Sauvignon
✨ Full Barrique - 288 Bottles

Specially created for the 2025 Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction, this Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend represents the best parcels from 12 wineries within the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District®, expertly blended by winemaker Jenny Dobson.
A wine with power, ripeness and concentration, it showcases the incredible quality of wine from the Gimblett Gravels® in 2024. The wine will be bottled late 2025.
Contributing wineries: Church Road, Elephant Hill, Esk Valley, Mills Reef, Mission Estate, Pask, Sacred Hill, Smith & Sheth, Squawking Magpie, Trinity Hill, Unison, Villa Maria.

Gimblett Gravels ... See MoreSee Less

2 months ago

Paddles up this Saturday! Safely tucked away in the cellar is a truly outstanding barrel of 2024 Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon, specially blended for this Saturday’s @hawkesbaywineauction. Crafted from the finest parcels, we’re so grateful to our producers who generously donated to our Lot, and to @winebyjennydobson for crafting such a stunning wine. Bid on Lot 2 to secure a barrique of Gimblett Gravels gold and support @cranford_hospice 🍷 ... See MoreSee Less

2 months ago

What a treat! Dreamy 2006 Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot Malbec. Dark fruit flavours with subtle tobacco and spice characters mixed with silky tannins #GimblettGravels ... See MoreSee Less

3 months ago

Pulled from barrel to show at last night’s hawkesbaywineauction Pre-Tasting, it was a thrill to pour this incredible Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon. Have your paddles up for Lot 2 on 13th September, this barrel is a beauty 🍷Squawking Magpie Wines Church Road Winery Elephant Hill Leveret Mills Reef Mission Estate Pask Winery and Cellar Door Smith & Sheth Trinity Hill Wines Unison Vineyard Villa Maria Estate ... See MoreSee Less

3 months ago

Posted @withregram • @christinakpickard Today I tasted through the 2022 Gimblett Gravels selection. It’s the 15th iteration of what is essentially a vintage assessment exercise—the best of the best—or, more accurately, the wines that the brilliant @andrewcaillardmw believes most clearly represent the vintage.

Gimblett Gravels is a warm stretch of Hawke’s Bay that, as the name suggests, boasts gravelly riverbed soils that yield distinctive wines (and also very smart marketing).

2022 was a challenging one, with super early bud burst and version, followed by rain and humidity at tricky times in the growing season. Nevertheless, the best producers still managed quality through careful viticulture and picking times. Here (and in comments) are my notes on the 2022 wines I tasted:

1) Church Road Malbec

A deep purple hue, this dishes up oodles of luscious blueberry and blackberry fruit with an underlying chocolatey oak note and dusty dried herbs/peppery spice characters. It’s a ripe, plump hug-in-a-glass style wine with soft edges and all the blue and black primary fruit notes you’d hope for in Malbec. It’s succulent with fine cat’s tongue tannins that wrap around the tongue but never overwhelm.
94 points

2) Mills Reef Reserve Merlot

This is a really lovely opportunity to see the Merlot varietal characters shine on their own. There’s a lift of plum, rhubarb and blackcurrant with a floral note, anise seed and a whiff of something like dried meat hanging from barn rafters. It lacks some of the depth and deep well of power that some of the more Cab/Syrah wines have but it’s moderate alcohol, firm chalky tannins, a lovely lift of acidity; transparency of variety.
93 points

3) Mission Reserve Merlot

Merlot’s plum and red fruit characters shine here, woven with notes more reminiscent of violets, sun-warmed herbs, ground nutmeg and cedar. There’s quite a firm grip to the sappy tannins, giving austerity on the palate. Still, the fruit weight is there, along with those secondary herb-and-spice notes, suggesting this should age gracefully for another decade or so.
92 points ... See MoreSee Less

3 months ago

Thanks @oz.clarke we rather like these reds too🍷 Posted @withregram • @oz.clarke With Hawkes Bay now fully recovered from the havoc caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 and enthusiastically proclaiming the 2025 vintage to be legendary, I took a look back at the Gimblett Gravels wines from 2022 to remind myself how good these NZ reds can be. Not for the first time I revelled in the Syrah wines, particularly a couple of absolute thrillers from Stonecroft, and I also got excited by the Malbecs and Cabernet Francs from producers like Esk Valley, Church Road and Trinity Hill. And , once again, I found myself thinking that there’s too much Merlot planted and it struggles to make really interesting wines ... See MoreSee Less

4 months ago

The best of the best! Announcing the Gimblett Gravels 2023 Annual Vintage Selection:-

• Church Road Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc
• Čuvar Guardians Cabernet Merlot Malbec
• Mission Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Merlot Malbec
• Elephant Hill Stone Syrah
• Stonecroft Organic Reserve Syrah

Six incredible wines! #GimblettGravels ... See MoreSee Less

4 months ago

Paddles up for an amazing cause!🍷 Tickets for the 33rd Hawke's Bay Wine Auction are now on sale via our website!

All tickets include:
✨ A 90 minute tasting session, where you can sample many of our auction wines and mix and mingle with Hawke’s Bay’s top winemakers
✨ A glass of VILAURA 2021 Hawke’s Bay Blanc de Blanc
✨ Delicious canapés by Dish Catering

🗓️ 12.30pm, Saturday 13 September | Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre

Every dollar raised on the day is donated to Cranford Hospice. ... See MoreSee Less

4 months ago

What a tasting! Gimblett Gravels stunners from 2023. Kudos to our incredible vignerons 👏 #GimblettGravels ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

A magical winter’s day in the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District ☀️ #gimblettgravels ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

Magical 🌟Matariki in @craggyrange Gimblett Gravels vineyard at 4.30 am this morning.. @hamlet2661 @dtpeabody @crmaryjeanne @david.peabody @craig.sims.735 @joannedeitch @frances__frances__ @hawkesbaywine @nzwinegrowers @gimblettgravels ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

Today’s the day! Gimblett Gravels wines on parade at @firstglassnz 7pm. Taste @chateaugaragenz @millsreefwinery_nz @paskwines @trinityhillwines 🍷 ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

Hello again Auckland! We’re back in town this week pouring Gimblett Gravels greats @firstglassnz 7pm Wednesday. Taste @chateaugaragenz @paskwines @millsreefwinery_nz @leveretestate @trinityhillwines 🍷 ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

Hello Auckland! Join us at @kampainz from 7pm this Friday 13th June to taste Gimblett Gravels greats from @cuvarwinery and @unisonvineyard 🍷 ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

Auckland peeps, we’re coming to you! Taste Gimblett Gravels goodness from Chateau Garage Leveret Mills Reef Trinity Hill Wines and Pask Winery and Cellar Door at First Glass Wines and Spirits on Wednesday 18th June, 7pm. See you there! ... See MoreSee Less

5 months ago

Behind the scenes at the @hawkesbaywineauction photoshoot. So much fun shooting with the talented @florencecharvin at incredible @hawthornehousehawkesbay #GimblettGravels ... See MoreSee Less

6 months ago