No 1 Winery for 2020 on the Real Review
After featuring in The Real Review rankings for the first time last year and coming in at 5th we are very excited to be named No 1 Winery in The Top Wineries of New Zealand for 2020 in what is effectively our 20th vintage.
We are a small producer and already this is having an impressively positive impact on our business especially during these uncertain times. We have had amazing dedication to this years vintage from our small and very committed team for which we are incredibly thankful. It has allowed us to focus on making great wine in what we feel will be our best vintage yet with only a secondary eye on world events.
Please enjoy reviews from The Real Review of our current releases:
2013 Puriri Hills Pope - 5 Stars - 99/100
A blend of merlot, carmenere, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and malbec. Named not in honour of the Pontiff but after a highly appreciated past employee. Surprisingly more accessible than the more firmly structured Harmonie du Soir label and the entry-level Estate label, this is elegance on a grand scale with a truly impressive depth of dark berry, floral, violet, spice and subtle savoury and dried herb notes. It's a wonderful demonstration of power delivered with great subtlety. A generously proportioned wine that promises to be a long-distance runner. 14 FEB 2019
2013 Puriri Hills Harmonie Du Soir - 5 Stars - 97/100
A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and malbec. Previously labelled as Reserve, it sits between the entry level and flagship labels. Much more structured than the Estate wine with a strong initial impact of firm tannins that ease to expose berry, floral and spice flavours on the wine's lengthy finish. More concentrated and complex that the Estate. I tasted this wine over a year ago and it seems to have evolved nicely since then but clearly has even greater potential. 14 FEB 2019
2012 Puriri Hills Harmonie Du Soir - 5 Stars - 95/100
"A blend of merlot 50%, carménère 25%, cabernet franc 13% and malbec 12%. Elegant red that doesn't appear to have suffered from a challenging vintage and had benefited from a little bottle age. Berry, spice, floral and savoury characters together with a fresh herb character that seemed to disappear with aeration. Vibrant acidity breathes life in the wine.” 4 MAR 2020
2014 Puriri Hills Estate - 5 Stars - 95/100
A Merlot-dominant blend with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and carménère. Elegant, spicy red with dark berry, malt, liquorice, vanilla, brambles, spice and toasty oak flavours. A seamless, supple wine that's certainly accessible now but should continue to deliver pleasure for many years yet 26 JUN 2019
2013 Puriri Hills Estate - 5 Stars - 96/100
The long-awaited release from a top vintage is a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and cabernet franc grown on clay soils in a beautiful hillside vineyard. This is a ripe and elegant red with an array of subtle fruit flavours interwoven with hint so cedar and spicy oak. Restrained Bordeaux-like red that I find very appealing. Accessible now but with potential to grow even further with additional bottle age. 14 FEB 2019