Our Merlot comes off vines planted on Gimblett Road in 1981, some of the oldest in Hawke's Bay. Our Head Winemaker Matt Patterson-Green describes them as "very old, very gnarly, lower cropping", and that is what gives the fruit its small berries and its concentration.
Merlot has found a home in Hawke's Bay, and on the Gimblett Gravels the stones hold enough evening heat to ripen it fully. Our Merlot wine shows lifted blackberry and licorice, a silky texture, and the structure to cellar.
There are three to choose from. The Gimblett Gravels Merlot is the estate wine and the place to start. Declaration is the reserve, made only in the years that earn it. The Instinct Merlot is our entry-level option.
Browse our New Zealand Merlot below, or read how the old vines shape it. Merlot also anchors our Bordeaux blends and sits alongside the rest of our Hawke's Bay red wine.
