# Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay (2024)

- **Producer:** Trinity Hill
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, nectarine, lemon, lime, grapefruit, apple, brioche, butter, toast, vanilla, hazelnut, almond

## About this wine

Trinity Hill was founded in 1993 by winemaking pioneer John Hancock alongside London restaurateurs Robert and Robyn Wilson. Inspired by a conversation over dinner at London's Bleeding Heart restaurant in 1987, the founders acquired a former stony riverbed site in Hawke's Bay's Gimblett Gravels. They were among the earliest pioneers to recognize the potential of this unique sub-region, characterized by low-fertility alluvial silt over deep greywacke gravels deposited by the ancient Ngaruroro River. Today, under Chief Winemaker Warren Gibson, Trinity Hill farms 80 hectares of estate vineyards, producing linear, structured, and age-worthy Chardonnays.

## Interesting facts

- Conceived over a meal at London's famous Bleeding Heart restaurant in 1987.
- Vines are planted in ancient greywacke riverbed gravels deposited by the Ngaruroro River.
- Bottled without fining agents, making this wine 100% vegan-friendly.

## Food pairing

This textured white wine combines vibrant linear acidity, creamy malolactic richness, and integrated oak spices. It pairs naturally with buttery seafood, roasted white meats, and earthy mushroom dishes where its bright citrus and stone fruit flavors cut through richness.

## Wine making process

Hand-harvested Chardonnay grapes were gently whole-bunch pressed and fermented using indigenous wild yeasts in a combination of 500-litre French oak puncheons and 228-litre barriques (36% new oak). Malolactic fermentation was encouraged to soften acidity and build texture. After 12 months of maturation in barrel, the wine was blended into tanks for an additional 7 months of aging on yeast lees to develop linear structure and complexity. The wine was filtered and bottled with no fining agents.