Vidal Soler Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Vidal Soler Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018French oak Dark wood spice Dark plum & berries Fine chalky tannins "Varietally pure and fabulously expressed, the wine shows cassis, Black Doris plum, tar, tobacco and cedar characters on the nose. Its wonderfully weighted and finely textured with excellent fruit power ured by loads of fine chalky tannins. An impressive offering at such great price. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit "Blackberries and oak spices, dark plums and tobacco,

• French oak
• Dark wood spice
• Dark plum & berries
• Fine chalky tannins

"Varietally pure and fabulously expressed, the wine shows cassis, Black Doris plum, tar, tobacco and cedar characters on the nose. It’s wonderfully weighted and finely textured with excellent fruit power ured by loads of fine chalky tannins. An impressive offering at such great price. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"Blackberries and oak spices, dark plums and tobacco, purple flowers and clove, dry river stones and dried herbs. Complex and not overdone. Flavours of dark berries and plum. Dark wood spices and hay roasted black fruits and clove. Firm tannins and plenty of acidity keep the palate youthful and fresh contrasted by a core of fruit and juicy mid-palate. Lengthy finish balanced and well made with a violet note at the very end. Drinking well now and through to 2024" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier

"Still very youthful, the 2018 vintage (4.5 *) was grown at two sites in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for 20 months in French oak barriques. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling and vibrant, with concentrated plum, spice and herb flavours, well-integrated oak adding complexity and obvious cellaring potential; open 2022+" Michael Cooper

This perfumed Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wine shows classic aromatics of blackcurrant, Black Doris plum, tobacco, dried herbs and cedar. Flavours of dark berries, plum and savoury oak combine on a fresh and finely textured palate showing a core of fruit with good concentration and length. An age-worthy wine.

The 2018 vintage from the Gimblett Gravels vineyards has produced a pure and finely styled Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wine. A very warm season with above average growing degree days and below-average rainfall provided the basis for a quality harvest. Moderate yields, good flavour concentration and a careful selection in the vineyard allowed winemakers to pick small parcels in excellent condition on the 7th and 10th of April.

Close planted in 2013, the Omahu Gravels vineyard is situated in the premium Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district where the soil is made up of relatively recent alluvial deposits of gravel with varying degrees of silt and sand. This naturally free-draining, low vigour and “lean” site combined with detailed vineyard knowledge has produced a Cabernet Sauvignon showing purity, restraint and underlying complexity.