Gimblett Gravels Announces 2009 Annual Vintage Selection

Media Release – for immediate release
Gimblett Gravels, May 2011

Gimblett Gravels Announces 2009 Annual Vintage Selection

Twelve wines, selected by Andrew Caillard MW, to showcase Gimblett Gravels 2009 vintage.

Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association (GGWA) can now reveal the 12 wines that comprise the 2009 Annual Vintage Selection.

This follows the inaugural 2008 Annual Vintage Selection, announced late last year, which continues to receive critical acclaim from around the world.
Both Selections were independently chosen, from GGWA member submissions, by internationally respected wine critic, Andrew Caillard, Master of Wine and Director of Sydney based auction house, Langtons.

Reflecting the different growing seasons, the 2009 Annual Vintage Selection comprises 8 blended red wines and 4 Syrahs. The 2008 Selection comprised 5 blended red wines and 7 Syrahs.

A limited number of 2009 Annual Vintage Selection packs will be sent out to key wine media and influencers around the world. As GGWA Chairman, Nick Aleksich, states, “The aim of this approach is to help inform all parties. Recipients can be kept abreast of the evolution of Gimblett Gravels wines on a vintage by vintage basis; similarly, our members can receive constructive feedback from an expert audience, fully conversant with international wine styles.

We have been overwhelmed by the positive response shown to the 2008 Selection and we are excited at the prospect of sending out the 2009’s. Many of these wines have yet to be released; indeed, some of the wines have yet to be labeled, but we want to alert wine lovers around the world to what we believe to be some of the best wines to come from the Gimblett Gravels so far. In future, we intend for the release of the Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection to become a regular mid-year fixture on the wine calendar. “
The 2009 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection comprises the following wines (in alphabetical order):

Blended Reds
Syrahs
Babich The Patriarch 2009 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Syrah 2009
Craggy Range Sophia 2009 Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Syrah 2009
Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Merlot 2009 Squawking Magpie Stoned Crow Syrah 2009
Montage Wines Alluviale 2009 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2009
Newton Forrest Cornerstone 2009
Sacred Hill Helmsman 2009
Te Awa Cabernet Merlot 2009
Trinity Hill The Gimblett 2009

The Gimblett Gravels is relatively small in size at just 800ha, but large in stature. Defined by deep stony free-draining soils within inland Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, it enjoys a warm maritime climate and an enviable reputation for producing stunning world-class blended (Bordeaux varietal) reds and Syrah.

ENDS

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