2023 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Te Kahu Bordeaux Blend, Hawkes Bay

The 2023 Craggy Range Te Kahu from the Gimblett Gravels is a plush and polished Bordeaux-inspired blend that captures both the power and elegance of this celebrated Hawke’s Bay subregion. Named Te Kahu, meaning "the cloak" in Te Reo Māori, it pays homage to the mist that settles over the nearby rivers, a quiet symbol of protection and balance, much like the wine itself.

The 2023 vintage is a beautifully composed blend of 49 percent Merlot, 34 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 percent Cabernet Franc, 3 percent Malbec and 2 percent Petit Verdot. It was a relatively warm and dry season, allowing for slow ripening and perfect phenolic maturity, especially for the later-ripening Cabernet family varieties. The fruit was harvested by hand from Craggy Range’s estate vineyards in the stony, free-draining soils of Gimblett Gravels, a site famed for producing some of New Zealand’s most age-worthy reds.

In the glass, Te Kahu is dark, glossy and aromatic, offering layers of ripe black cherry, plum, cassis and cocoa, with hints of graphite, bay leaf and sweet spice. The palate is supple and rich with a deep core of dark fruit, silky tannins and an earthy undertone from the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. French oak aging adds finesse and structure without overshadowing the fruit purity.

This is a wine that feels both modern and classic, approachable now but capable of maturing beautifully over the next decade. Pair it with slow-cooked beef cheeks, rosemary lamb rump, or a wild mushroom and truffle risotto.