Sacred Hill is recognised as one of New Zealand's leading, multi award winning wineries. Focusing on the production of premium 'handcrafted' varietal wines the company's estate vineyards are located in New Zealand's leading grape growing regions of Marlborough, Hawkes Bay and Central Otago.
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December 2010
A year of accolades for Sacred Hill's Special Selection
It's turned out to be a great year for Sacred Hill with a number of accolades, both locally and internationally, for its Special Selection range of wines.
Neil Martin, the NZ critic for Robert Parker, visited Sacred Hill earlier this year and his scores from this visit saw Special Selection varietals presenting results in the nineties. These wines are featured on eRobertparker.com, the internationally recognized consumer guide to fine wines.
The 2010 results are:
Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Syrah 2007 – 90 points
Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2007 – 92 points
Sacred Hill Helmsman Cabernet Merlot 2007 – 90 points
Sacred Hill Sauvage 2007 – 91 points
Further good news for Sacred Hill Special Selection is the Deerstalkers Syrah 2008 has been selected as one of 12 Gimblett Gravel red wines to be included in an Annual Vintage Selection which will be distributed to key wine media and influencers around the world. The wines were independently selected by internationally respected wine critic Andrew Caillard, Master of Wine and Director of Sydney based auction house, Langtons.
The recent Winestate Hawke's Bay Regional Tasting and Chardonnay & Blends Tasting also produced some glowing results with the following wines receiving four stars:
Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Syrah 2008
Sacred Hill Brokenstone Merlot 2008
Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2009
Michael Cooper's best of recent releases further showed how exceptional these wines are
Sacred Hill Helmsman Cabernet/Merlot 2007 *****
Sacred Hill Deer Stalkers Syrah 2008 ****
Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2009 *****
Sacred Hill Brokenstone Merlot 2008 ****½
Other accolades for Special Selection during 2010 include Gold and Trophy for the 2007 Rifleman's Chardonnay at the 57th Royal Easter Show Wine Awards and a 98/100 point score from Andrew Caillard, MW for the same wine. The 2004 Rifleman's Chardonnay was awarded a Trophy and Gold medal at the 10th annual Hawke's Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards 2010. The 2007 Helmsman Cabernet Sauvignon received 97/100 points by Harvey Steiman, possibly the highest score he has ever awarded a New Zealand wine.
For Sacred Hill Senior winemaker Tony Bish these endorsements continue to reward the hard work and dedication which goes into producing premium quality wine.
“It's fantastic when you create wines that stand out as some of the best. We have received some extraordinary accolades this year and this continues to highlight Sacred Hill's ability to produce high quality, award-winning wines,” says Bish
The Special Selection wines sit at the premium end of the market and continue to be award winning single vineyard wines. These wines are derived from parcels of grapes grown exclusively on Estate and Mason Family vineyards, including Rifleman's Vineyard and Deerstalkers Vineyard, the latter is situated in the renowned Gimblett Gravels region in Hawke's Bay. Both vineyards are known for near perfect growing and ripening conditions. Each of the Special Selection wines is produced only when vintage conditions are ideal, individually named and uniquely positioned.
December 2010
MICHAEL COOPER'S BUYER'S GUIDE TO NEW ZEALAND WINES 2011
Michael Coopers annual bestseller Michael Coopers Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2011 has been released. The below Sacred Hill wines were all reviewed to high regard and have been included in the updated guide for 2011.
Sacred Hill Deer Stalkers Syrah 2007 *****
Less striking than the memorable 2007 vintage (*****), the 2008 (****) was hand-picked in the Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, and matured for 16 months in French oak barriques. Dark and dense, it has fresh, concentrated cassis, plum and black pepper flavours, firm, ripe tannins and good cellaring potential.
Sacred Hill Helmsman Cabernet/Merlot 2007 *****
The 2007 vintage (*****) is crying out for cellaring. A powerful Hawke's Bay blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (53 per cent), Merlot (42 per cent) and Cabernet Franc (5 per cent), it was hand-picked in the Deerstalkers Vineyard, in the Gimblett Gravels, and French oak-matured for 18 months. Dark and fleshy, with a strong surge of blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, showing excellent complexity, and fine-grained tannins, it's a bold, youthful red with obvious, long-term potential.
Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2009 *****
Sacred Hill's flagship Chardonnay is one of New Zealand's greatest - powerful yet elegant, with striking intensity and outstanding cellaring potential. Grown in the cool, inland, elevated (100 metres above sea level) Riflemans vineyard in the Dartmoor Valley of Hawke's Bay, it is hand-picked from mature, own-rooted, Mendoza clone vines and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques (new and one year-old), with some malolactic fermentation. There is no 2008. The 2009 vintage (*****) is very classy and finely structured. Pale yellow, it is highly concentrated, with grapefruit, peach and nut flavours and a crisp, minerally streak, building across the palate to a lasting finish. A very complete wine, it's built to last.
Sacred Hill Brokenstone Merlot 2008 ****½
This is an often outstanding Hawke's Bay red. Since 2002, the grapes have been sourced entirely from the Gimblett Gravels (mostly the company's joint-venture Deerstalkers Vineyard.) The wine spends its first year in mostly new French oak barriques, then another several months in new and older barrels. The 2008 vintage (****½) is a blend of Merlot (90 per cent) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10 per cent.) Deeply coloured, it offers strong plum and spice flavours, well-integrated, cedary French oak, and ripe, supple tannins. Finely poised, it's a stylish red, still very youthful; open 2012+.
Sacred Hill The Wine Thief Series Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2008 ****½
A classic regional style, the 2008 vintage (****½) was hand-harvested in the Ohiti Valley, barrel-fermented and lees-aged for a year. Full-bodied, with fresh, ripe citrus and stonefruit flavours, seasoned with toasty French oak (50 per cent new), and a finely textured, rounded finish, it's developing good complexity and delicious now.
Sacred Hill Halo Hawke's Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc 2008 ****
The floral, deeply coloured 2008 vintage (****) was estate-grown and hand-picked in the Gimblett Gravels, and matured in French oak barriques. It's a refined red with strong, ripe blackcurrant and red berry flavours seasoned with nutty oak, and the power and structure to age.
Sacred Hill Halo Marlborough Pinot Gris 2009 ****
The 2009 vintage (****) is a single-vineyard, Waihopai Valley wine with excellent weight and depth of peach, apricot and spice flavours. Mouthfilling, ripe and rounded, with a touch of sweetness, it has gentle acidity and good harmony. Ready to roll.
Sacred Hill Halo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ****
The tight, intensely flavoured 2009 vintage (****) was estate-grown in the Waihopai Valley. Ripely scented, it has vibrant, tropical fruit flavours to the fore, a herbal undercurrent, lively acidity and a lingering finish.
Sacred Hill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ****
Unfolding well, the 2009 vintage (****) has a fresh, lifted bouquet, mingling tropical fruit and herbaceous notes. It's an intensely varietal wine, showing good body, balance and intensity.
Sacred Hill Sauvage Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ****
One of the country's most expensive Sauvignon Blancs, at its best this is an impressively rich, complex example of the widely underrated, barrel-matured Hawke's Bay Sauvignon Blanc style. The 2008 (****) was hand-picked in the Dartmoor Valley, barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts and French oak-aged for 10 months. Weighty and tightly structured, it's a fully dry (3 grams/litre of residual sugar), mouth-wateringly crisp wine with strong, pineappley, slightly nutty flavours, woven with tense acidity, and obvious cellaring potential.
Sacred Hill The Wine Thief Series Hawke's Bay Syrah 2007 ****
The 2007 vintage (****) was harvested in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for a year in French oak (30 per cent new.) It's an intensely varietal, boldy coloured wine with a strong surge of blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, a delicate seasoning of toasty oak, and finely balanced tannins.
26 November 2010
Sacred Hill Special Selection wines rate highly with international critic
Sacred Hill Special Selection wines are once again being recognized in international endorsements. Neil Martin, the NZ critic for Robert Parker visited Sacred Hill earlier this year. He has recently published his scores from this visit with all four of the Special Selection varietals presented scoring in the nineties. The results are issued on eRobertparker.com, the internationally recognized consumer guide to fine wines.
The 2010 results are
Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Syrah 2007 – 90 points
Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2007 – 92 points
Sacred Hill Helmsman Cabernet Merlot 2007 – 90 points
Sacred Hill Sauvage 2007 – 91 points
Martin also rated the 2006 vintages in the nineties in last year's Wine Advocate review. The consistent scores across vintages reinforce the array of awards and endorsements Sacred Hill has gained for these wines over the years.
According to www.erobertparker.com the Wine Advocate Rating system regards a wine scoring 90-95 point as: “An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.” Wineries around the world aspire to achieve ratings of over 90 points in the Wine Advocate.
The Special Selection wines sit at the premium end of the market and continue to be award winning single vineyard wines. These wines are derived from parcels of grapes grown exclusively on Estate and Mason Family vineyards, including Rifleman's Vineyard and Deerstalkers Vineyard, the latter is situated in the renowned Gimblett Gravels region in Hawkes Bay. Both vineyards are known for near perfect growing and ripening conditions. Each of the Special Selection wines is produced only when vintage conditions are ideal, individually named and uniquely positioned.
November 2010
New vintages come up trumps - Sacred Hill releases two varietals into its HALO range
Sacred Hill has released its 2010 HALO Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 HALO Syrah. The HALO range offers premium varietals sourced from leading vineyards throughout the country.
Grapes for the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc have been sourced from Wairau Valley, Marlborough which has come up trumps this year producing grapes which reaffirm Marlborough's position as one of the great wine regions of the world.
The 2010 Sauvignon has captivating aromas of citrus blossom and tropical fruit notes mingled with lemongrass and guava nuances. It is an intense, mouth-filling wine with a searing depth of flavour. The perfect accompaniment for fish and chicken dishes or served as an aperitif.
“The 2010 Marlborough vintage has yielded more intensity of aroma and flavour than the past several years, the result of a great season coupled with restrained yields. HALO is our most expressive blend, representing some very special parcels of great fruit,” say Sacred Hill Senior Winemaker Tony Bish.
The 2009 HALO Syrah grapes have been handpicked from the Gimblett Gravels vineyard in Hawke's Bay. This vintage could be considered one of the most outstanding vintages in the last decade or possibly longer.
The 2009 Syrah has very rich layered and dense spicy notes with blackberry and black pepper notes. The palate is a lovely mix of ripe berry fruit and complex spicy characters mingled with subtle vanilla oak.
According to Bish, the reds from the Gimblett Gravel vineyards are absolutely exceptional.
“This 2009 Hawke's Bay Syrah is 100 percent from the Deerstalkers Vineyard which consistently produces great quality wine. It is quite a stunning, rich and layered wine that represents tremendous value” says Bish.
Only a limited number of the each varietal of the HALO range is produced each year. The size of each parcel of wine is influenced to a large extent by the quality of the grapes and what the vintage has delivered in terms of quality
2010 HALO Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 HALO Syrah is available in premium wine outlets, restaurants and bars throughout NZ. RRP $24.90
11 November 2010
Sacred Hill scores Gold with HALO Marlborough Pinot Gris
Sacred Hill Wines has walked away with a Pure Gold medal for its 2009 HALO Marlborough Pinot Gris at the 2010 Air New Zealand Wine Awards.
The 2009 HALO Marlborough Pinot Gris is an elegant wine showing floral, pear and citrus characters with a nicely textured palate and a long dry finish.
