Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot 2018

From Villa Maria, the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot 2018 is a densely coloured red wine with expressive aromatics and a layered, savoury profile. Red and black plum notes sit alongside cassis, smoky roast coffee bean and dried thyme, finishing with complex cedary spice nuances. On the palate, it is soft yet concentrated, with fine-grained tannins and integrated oak, making it approachable in its youth while still offering the structure to develop further.

Fruit for this wine was grown entirely on the gravelly soils of the Gimblett Gravels growing region in Hawkes Bay. Small parcels from different vineyards contribute their own characteristics, supported by free-draining sites that help maintain balanced fruit and canopy growth for ripe flavours and tannin development. Yields are cropped low to produce fruit that is richly concentrated in colour, flavour and structure.

With careful cellaring, this wine will benefit and gain additional complexity over the next 10-15 years.

Key features

• Densely coloured red wine with a layered, savoury profile
• Aromas of red and black plum, cassis, smoky roast coffee bean and dried thyme
• Complex cedary spice nuances on the finish
• Soft yet concentrated palate with fine-grained tannins and integrated oak
• Fruit grown entirely in the Gimblett Gravels growing region, Hawkes Bay
• Made from small parcels sourced from different vineyards
• Designed to develop additional complexity with careful cellaring over 10-15 years