Pyramid Valley Howell Hawkes Bay Cabernet Franc 2015

Description

"This is plum, fleshy and delicious, delivering blackcurrant, dark cherry, thyme, cocoa and cedar aromas on the nose, followed by a powerful yet refined palate that is wonderfully weighted and generously textured. Magnificently ripe, silky and persistent. At its best: now to 2025" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Apr 2018

“Attractive cassis, blueberry and boysenberry aromas with leafy, red floral fragrance. The palate has a juicy core of fresh cassis and red-fruit flavors with a succulent, mid-weight mouthfeel. Drink or hold" James Suckling

"Very dark, deep, black-hued purple-red colour, a little lighter on the rim, youthful in appearance. The nose is firm and intense with well-concentrated and tightly bound aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants and dark redcurrants entwined with cassis liqueur and fragrant dark herbs. Full-bodied, the palate ha rich, luscious and sweetly ripe fruit flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants with cassis and dark herbs, and subtle earthy notes. The fruit richness is underlined by fine tannin extraction and driven by a little alcohol power. The acidity is ripe and refined, and the wine flows with good energy, sweetness and richness to a long, elegantly concentrated finish of blackberries, cassis and herbs. This is a well-concentrated, rich and sweetly ripe fruited Cabernet Franc with blackberry, blackcurrant and cassis flavours of a fine-textured, fresh palate. Match with lamb, beef and venison over the next 7-9+ years. Fruit from the ‘Howell’ vineyard, bridge Pa, Hawke’s Bay, hand-picked and destemmed, and fermented with 35% whole bunches to 14.5% alc., the wine aged 9 months in seasoned French oak. 450 cases made" Raymond Chan, Jun 2017

Lovely fruit richness, with aromas of tomato leaves, white floral and fresh herbs. The flavours are abundant, with cherry and spice and a rich rounded finish. Vibrant, fresh and approachable with an exotic flavour profile.

The grapes for this wine are sourced from 30 year old vines planted on red-metal soils, in the Bridge Pa triangle, farmed meticulously by friend, mentor, and inspiration, Chris Howell. A luscious, but diligent vintage.

Hand-picked, 100% destemmed, transferred by gravity to tank. Ambient soak of 4 days, then inoculated with a vineyard-sourced pied de cuve. Warm (27C) fermentation, 27.5 day cuvaison. Natural, spring malolactic. Twelve months on original lees in used French oak barrels, predominantly hogsheads (350L); bottled unfined and unfiltered with a touch of sulphur pre bottling.