Awards and Accolades

97 Points - James Halliday, Wine Companion
“Still bright crimson-purple; a totally delicious and stylish Bordeaux blend; the bouquet is fragrant, the medium to full-bodied palate swoops high and low with cassis, spice, bay leaf, cedary oak and beautifully detailed tannins – and only 13.5% alcohol.”

97 points - Ray Jordan
“A refined and highly classy cabernet which also has a little petit verdot, merlot, malbec and cabernet franc to complete the classic Bordeaux blend. Silky smooth palate with fine chalky tannins and super fine grained oak. The fruit is so well balanced and poised through the middle palate to the long finish. Excellent wine.”

96 points - Huon Hooke
“The best cabernet yet from this consistent winery, it has a few percent of petit verdot, merlot, malbec and franc thrown in. Clean, fresh, primary aromas of violet, rose petal, crushed-leaf and berry are captivating. It’s medium bodied but concentrated, intense and charming with measured tannins.”

94 points - Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front
"The full party of Fraser Gallop’s Parterre cabernet sauvignon includes minor appearances from petit verdot, merlot, Malbec and cabernet franc. It spends 18 months in all-French oak, all of it either new or one-year-old. Elegance is the dominant theme but it’s bold enough to underline it’s premium status. This wine will be a charming addition to any cellar. It’s medium in weight, framed by tannin, touched by aromatic bay leaf and gravel notes and juiced up with boysenberry and blackcurrant. There’s almost a jubeyness here and yet it also feels dry and dusty. Smoky oak
From the Winery

Impressive crimson hue with depth and moderate intensity.

There is a sense of restraint with gentle savoury notes - bay leaf and a suggestion of earthiness. The fruit profile leans toward black fruit with elements of blackcurrant, dark plums, and a note of cedary oak. It is multi-layered, saturating the palate with flavour, yet has a sense of weightlessness. The tannins are fine but firm, the oak refined and unimposing, the finish – neat, pure and long. Will benefit from further maturation.

The inspiration for the Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon has been taken from some of the great wines of Bordeaux. The aim is to make a wine that allows the fruit to shine, complement it with oak whilst maintaining great structure and finesse.

Good spring rains refilled the sub-soil profile and calm conditions allowed even flowering and fruit set across all varieties. Until the last week in November, when a significant storm had an impact. As a result of nature assisting with fruit thinning, the yields were low but of high quality for 2013.