Grape Varieties
100% Merlot
Winery
Kim Crawford Wines was established in late 1996, when Kim launched a range made from fruit grown in the South Island. Kim sold the company to Constellation in 2005 and has since handed the winemaking reins over to the Constellation winemaking team. Control over grape supply has always been essential for the Kim Crawford range and Constellation has maintained good contacts with growers in the region, ensuring consistency of quality and style.
Winemaker
Jules Taylor
Viticulture
These grapes are from Paul and Jenny Tietjen’s vineyard on Back Ormond Road in Gisborne and Peter Briant’s Patutahi Vineyard.
Winemaking & Maturation
The grapes were all machine harvested and after a period of cold maceration, fermented in open top fermenters. A portion was drained off for malolactic fermentation in new American oak. The balance underwent malolactic fermentation in the tank and when complete transferred to a mixture of tank, new and older oak, where it stayed for four months. The wine was pumped out of oak and gently fined with egg white.
Tasting Note
Deep crimson in colour with purple hues, it has perfumes of strawberry, cassis and raspberry overlaid with toasty oak. The cigar box complexity has started to emerge. Rich and ripe, with warm fruit flavours on the palate, it has soft tannins and good length with liquorice and spice on the finish.
