A wine tasting featuring international wine writers James Halliday and Elin McCoy along with seven local scribes has come up with some interesting results.
Up against six Bordeaux wines including the Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2005 and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2005 were six Bordeaux-style wines including the Blake Family Vineyards Redd Gravels 2005, the Sacred Hill Helmsman 2005, Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 and Trinity Hill The Gimblett 2005.
Six 2005 vintage Bordeaux style wines from the Gimblett Gravels, were blind tasted alongside six of French Bordeaux’s best and most famous labels, including three first growths
Six 2005 vintage Bordeaux style wines from the Gimblett Gravels, were blind tasted alongside six of French Bordeaux’s best and most famous labels, including three first growths
The lively group discussion of the wines before the big unveil proved that it was difficult to distinguish many of the New Zealand wines from the French, and all were impressed with the comparability of the wines
Four Gimblett Gravels wines were placed in the top six of the tasting, with Blake Family Vineyards Redd Gravels 2005 in the top spot. This proves that the quality of the Gimblett Gravels Bordeaux blends, are equal with their international peers.
The Results
- Blake Family Vineyards Redd Gravels 2005
- Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2005
- Sacred Hill Helmsman 2005
- Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
- Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2005
- Trinity Hill The Gimblett 2005
Results were based on the rankings from the nine wine media present.
This was a “fascinating tasting, very well run” stated James Halliday, admitting that his top wine of the tasting was actually a Gimblett Gravels wine. Elin McCoy was “blown away by a couple of the wines” and was “impressed with the balance of the NZ wines”.
The afternoon of blind tasting was followed by an eight course gourmet dinner, served with Gimblett Gravels wines selected by Ben Edwards, a leading Australian sommelier. Entertainment for the evening included a beautiful performance by opera singer Elizabeth Marvelly.
Wines in the Tasting Line Up
Chateau Cos d'Estournel RRP $400
Chateau Haut Brion RRP $1,650
Chateau Lafite Rothschild RRP $2,000
Chateau L'Eglise Clinet RRP $1,350
Chateau Mouton Rothschild RRP $1,650
Chateau Troplong Mondot RRP $600
Blake Family Vineyards Redd Gravels RRP $75
Craggy Range “Sophia” RRP $50
Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $40
Newton Forrest Cornerstone RRP $40
Sacred Hill Helmsman RRP $70
Trinity Hill The Gimblett RRP$30