Villa Maria Ngakirikiri Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit writes "An exceptional offering, capturing varietal purity and the vineyard’s special sense of place, combined with skilfully crafted refinement, this is a compelling rendition showing cassis, rich floral, cedar, clove, and tobacco nuances on the nose, leading to an immensely concentrated palate exhibiting impressive depth and power. Wonderfully balanced and firmly structured with layers of chalky tannins, it is solid and robust yet harmonious and seamless with a sustained, engaging finish. At its best: 2030 to 2047."

David Walker Bell, Wine Folio writes "A dense, black and purple colour in the glass. The bouquet shows a lovely mix of New World and Old World expressions of ‘claret’, with dark cherry, cassis and plum fruit flavours highlighting ripeness; then graphite, tobacco and cedar showing a more savoury side. Youthful and tight, with concentration and structural tension. I decanted this, and slowly the wine unwinds, with the toasty oak softening and the crisp acidity taking over, to give a good line through the palate. There’s also a generous gloss to the texture, but a dry, peppery spice – often a signature of the Gravels – sits well here, stopping things getting too polished. Should age well in your cellar for over decade – but it drinks well (with decanting) at this point too."

Bob Campbell MW writes "Elegance on a grand scale with perfectly restrained fruit flavours that include cassis, chocolate/mocha, blackberrry, vanilla and spicy oak flavours. Youthful wine with loads of cellaring potential"

Cameron Douglas MS writes "Opaque appearance with dark almost inky hues of purples and ruby. The bouquet is concentrated and powerful, scents of blackberry and tobacco, smoky oak and pure new wood power. Roasted plums, blackberry and some dark cherry scents build as the wine opens out in glass. Complex and youthful. A dry, fruity and immediately varietal wine touches the palate first. Flavours of purple and blackberry, dark skinned orchard fruits, fresh tobacco and sweet bell-pepper all reveal themselves simultaneously. Firm tannins and plenty of acidity along with a concentration of fruit flavours ensure this wine will age well. Best drinking from 2032 through 2040."