Saint Clair Family Estates’ Gimblett Gravels vineyard purchase

Saint Clair Family Estate has increased its vineyard portfolio with the purchase of an additional vineyard from Mills Reef, within the Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district of Hawke’s Bay.

The majority of Saint Clair’s vineyards are located within the Marlborough region in the Southern Valleys, Awatere Valley, Lower Wairau, Rapaura, Omaka Valley, Doctors Creek and Waihopai Valley.

The growing demand for Saint Clair wines of classic Bordeaux varieties has driven the purchase of the 18 hectare Gimblett Gravels vineyard.

The vineyard has been rated by leading New Zealand wine critic, Michael Cooper, as one of New Zealand’s “notable vineyards”, an endorsement granted only after many years of producing consistently excellent wines.

The Gimblett Gravels is an exciting sub-region that has become world recognised as the premiere area in New Zealand for the production of classic Bordeaux blend varietals and Syrah.

This grapegrowing region was once under water. The river slowed and dumped gravels and heavier sands and silts that were exposed following a large flood in the 1860s.

The free-draining deep gravel soils are naturally low in fertility and act as heat storage for the vines. Wines are rich and ripe and full of concentrated fruit flavours.

This vineyard expansion will continue to create further avenues to provide customers with wines of excellence across a range of price points and varieties.