The Elms Vineyard, a small but very special site forms the heart of our Syrah. Beneath this picturesque vineyard lies a gravelly heart of shingle & ancient river stone. This is the makeup of Hawkes Bay's renowned Gimblett Gravels sub region, the environment that gives life to our Syrah each vintage. Select bunches were gathered from the lowest vigour rows in this volatile vineyard. These bunches were then destemmed & vinified in small fermenters which were hand plunged to fill the wine with concentrated flavours & rich supple tannins. The Syrah underwent malolactic fermentation in French oak barriques spending a total of 14 months in barrel. After this period the wine was blended with only a very light filtration. A brooding base of shale & black olive with the enticing fragrance of raspberries & ripe plum complete the nose. The supple core of fruit entwined around elegant tannins ease into a long & aromatic finish with a whisper of pepper. A Syrah to savour with rare venison, this year or after a decade in a cool cellar. ...

Elegance & freshness of fruit define this intense Chardonnay. Aromas of soft juicy pear & white peach play against fine leesy notes while the palate, & long finish, is kept focused by a very well integrated line of lovely acidity. While enjoyable now the taut structure will preserve this wine for a decade in a cool cellar. With roast pork & asian greens this style will refresh the palate. ...

We have taken great care to ensure that our wine displays the soft pungency that is the signature of Crossroads Gewurztraminer. Boasting the best of varietal flavours: lychee, ginger, lemon & rosewater & balanced with delicious ripe fruit sweetness. Our gentle touch has delivered a wine of smooth texture & wonderful intensity. This is a very food versatile wine, equally at home with tarte fambee (a pastry filled with bacon, cheese & onions) as it is with spicy South East Asian curries. ...

Surging with dark & lush bramble & blackcurrant the nose gives way to a supple palate. A subtle river of violet & cigar box aromas stream through the mouth & onto the long finish. The tannins are rich but elegant & very complete. A fragrant Merlot to decant & enjoy tonight or cellar for up to a decade. Try with a gratin of grilled aubergine & spinach or a hearty roast lamb shoulder with kumara & parsnip. ...

This vintage of Syrah is all about fragrant aromas of violet, blackcurrant & raspberry with a hint of clove & earth. On the palate the soft core of fruit is beautifully framed by rounded & very integrated tannins. This supple body makes the wine very approachable. Long & intense drink now or cellar for six years. Try with rare grilled Venison or hearty barbequed lamb steaks. ...

Limited stock. Crossroads Winery's signature wine, Talisman, is a secret blend known only to their winemaker, a unique embodiment of the very best wine Hawke's Bay vineyards have to offer. The secret blend of varieties creates rare complexity & harmony in this wine. This seamless interplay of different varietal flavours brings the palate to life, while supple, focused tannins frame the long finish. This is a wine you can enjoy on release or cellar for up to a decade. Talisman is a rich complex wine with aromas of cherry, blueberry, blackberry & blackcurrant on the nose. The palate is dense with plummy fruit & toasty oak & the finish is long & fine. Excellent match with beef steak, venison casserole or rabbit. ...

Limited stock. The Kereru road Vineyard rises from the Ngaruroro River as four ancient terraces, each distinct & varying in soil type. 2010 was memorable for its extended growing season & long autumn. With this extra hang time on the vine the Chardonnay fruit developed wit balance & intensity culminating in a harvest of terrific bunches. Soaring from the glass aromas of fleshy nectarines & stone fruit harmonise with subtle spicy notes, fine oak & a vibrant hazelnut note. The texture is broad & mouth filling with balance & concentration. A superb finish pulls all of these flavours together with great persistency & length. While very enjoyable now the fine acidity & balance will see this Chardonnay reveal new depths over ten years. ...

Soaring from the glass aromas of fleshy nectarines & stonefruit harmonise with subtle spicy notes, fine oak & a vibrant hazelnut note. The texture is broad & mouthfilling with balance & concentration. A superb finish pulls all of these flavours together with great persistency & length. While very enjoyable now the fine acidity & balance will see this Chardonnay reveal new depths over ten years. ...

2009 was a superb season memorable for the duration & sunny warmth of its hazy Autumn. Early vine regulation limited crop to ...

Our Mere Vineyard is one of the driest in the Gimblett Gravels area. The warm, dry conditions during the critical ripening phase of 2009 season saw berries gain in concentration & intensity almost by the hour. The berries were small & few in number but extremely flavoursome. We only allowed one bunch per shoot to ensure further intensity. Our winemaker carefully managed the extraction process utilizing both pumpover & delestage techniques. This enabled us to capture the delicate aromas of this wine. Fermented as individual components the wines were drained, pressed off & settled before being run to French oak barriques where malolactic conversion occurred. Lifted with violet, dark chocolate, bramble & red currant nuances, the nose is vividly fragrant with varietal aromas. Once on the palate dark fruit characters are framed by taut, elegant tannins. Finely textured but well-structured, the palate leads into a long, elegant, aromatic finish. A striking red to enjoy with rare beef, now or after a decade in a cool cellar. ...