Description VITICULTURE The Hawkes Bay 2024 harvest saw excellent growing conditions, resulting in high quality grapes throughout the region. Mild conditions through spring and early summer with no shortage of rainfall saw moderate to low crops set. Continuing warm dry conditions through summer saw optimal fruit development and healthy, disease free grapes. Flavour development and acid retention were enhanced by a perfect combination of sunny days and cool, clear nights. VINIFICATION With a talented and enthusiastic team of international superstars in the winery, this harvest provided an opportunity to showcase the very best flavours of an exceptional vintage. Fruit was plunged and pumped over in open top vats to extract the smooth tannins and bright berry fruit Merlot is known for. After gently pressing the wine was left to mature in tanks and old oak barrels, before bottling in the winter of 2025.
