The Mills
Reef winery can fall under the Gimblett Gravel radar as the winery is based at
Tauranga. However with 16 ha in two
sites on Mere Road
and another 14 ha at the Plateau vineyard, Mills Reef is indeed one of the
major players in the Gimblett Gravels and in Hawke’s Bay. Paddy and Tim Preston and their winemaker Paul
Darwick have made a string of gold medal winning wines from the very start, and
the Mills Reef wines can truly be said to showcase the Gravels region, with
Chardonnay, Syrah and all the Bordeaux
varietals. It is the latter that they
have wonderful competence. The wines
have the iron core that seems to be signature of the Gimblett Gravels. The winemaking team have worked at refining
the extraction and oak input over the past several vintages, the use of the
‘Integrale’ barrels with Cabernet Sauvignon in particular an important
development. We highlight the two Mills
Reef Cabernet and Merlot blends from the outstanding 2007 vintage here. They make particularly instructive tasting a
drinking together, one offering great value, the other a richness that lifts it
out of the ordinary:
Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet/Merlot
2007
This is
classic Gimblett Gravels wine with its dark, purple-hued ruby red colour and
fresh, reasonably elegant, but clear-cut varietal Cabernet Sauvignon expression
of blackcurrants and cassis. Fully
ripened with blackberry notes alongside herbs and liquorice, the palate has
depth and excellent concentration. The
blackcurrant flavours combine with cedary spice and coffee nuances, all framed
within a palate with excellent concentration and fine-grained tannins. There is a firmness that will enable 6-8
years cellaring easily. This is 65%
Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot sourced from the Mere Road and Plateau
vineyards on the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 14.0% alc and given 7 months
aging in new and 1 y.o. oak, the wood being a mixture of Integrale, hogsheads
and barriques. Awarded silver medals at
the 2008 ANZWA, 2009 Royal Easter Wine Show, Bragato Wine Awards and NZIWS.
Mills Reef ‘Elspeth’ Gimblett Gravels Cabernet/Merlot
2007
The ‘Elspeth’
wines go up a gear in every dimension over the ‘Reserve’ wines, but are in no
way ‘over the top’. The Prestons may
have been guilty of trying too hard in the early days, but balance and
approachability are important features of all their wines nowadays. This ‘Elspeth’ wine is exciting in appearance
with its dark, deep, black-hued ruby red colour that has purple hues, but truly
demonstrates its aspiration level by way of its rich, lusciously ripe black
berry fruit and plum aromas spiced with oak.
The palate is full, rich, voluptuous and soft with sweet fruit flavours
and decadent oak spice, complexed by subtle savoury elements, all held in check
by very fine-grained tannins. The
harmony and integration of componentry is the feature of this wine and what is
built into it is deceptive. This will
cellar 12-15 years easily. The wine is
70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot sourced from the Mere Road vineyard in
the Gimblett Gravels,, 30% of the must wild-fermented in Integrale barrels, and
given 13-16 months aging in 20% new and 80% 1 y.o. French barrels. Gold medal and Trophy for Champion Cabernet
Sauvignon or Merlot/Cabernet Blend, ANZWA 2009.