Focus on Gimblett Gravels

Two thousand twelve was a cool, late year in the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District, a favored area within the greater Hawkes Bay appellation on New Zealand’s North Island. Growers there had to pick carefully between rain events. But my recent tasting of a small selection of wines from this intriguing growing area, whose Syrahs I have been following with great interest for the past ten years or so, showed that the most conscientious producers can succeed in Gimblett Gravels even in challenging vintages.

View over the Gimblett Gravels growing district

What’s so special about Gimblett Gravels? 

In terms of climate, Hawkes Bay (frequently spelled Hawke’s Bay) is somewhat analogous to Bordeaux, but without quite as much afternoon heat during the peak of the ripening season owing to cooling sea breezes that begin by noon on most summer days. So while the area is too warm for growing Pinot Noir, it’s generally on the cool side for making wines from Bordeaux red varieties and Syrah. But in the Gimblett Gravels, situated barely 30 meters above sea level and less than ten miles inland, afternoon temperatures are routinely 1 to 3 degrees Centigrade higher during the summer and fall.

The area’s gravelly soils also play a critical role in ripening the fruit, warming up early in the spring and releasing stored-up heat at night during summer. This combination of factors helps late-ripening varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah achieve full maturity. The long, steady ripening produces wines with good density and aromatic complexity, along with the acid/tannin structure to support positive evolution in bottle.

Gravelly soils play a critical role in ripening the fruit

History and geology of Gimblett Gravels