Kemblefield

Kemblefield owns vineyards in Mangatahi, Hawkes Bay (the choice was made partly because of its unique microclimate) with a total of 90 hectares under vine. These include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Semillon in the white varietals and Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel and Malbec for blending in the red varietals.

The Terraceview vineyards are predominantly flat and set on a number of terraces stretching out across the Ngaruroro River valley. Free draining gravelly soils, hot summer days and cool nights combine to produce even ripening grapes with intense fruit characteristics.

New Zealand's First Zinfandel

John Kemble is the chief winemaker and director and has over 30 years wine making experience. He has a Plant Science Degree from the University of California, Davis, and is a member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture. Fifteen years with Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma, California, in their developing years gave John his love of winemaking.

In 1994 Zinfandel cuttings were first brought to New Zealand by John. The cuttings were from Ravenswood Winery’s prestigious Old Hill Vineyard in California. Kemblefield Estate Winery is one of only two New Zealand wineries to have this variety.

Anthony Byrne Fine Wines currently stock the following Kemblefield wines:

Vista wines are estate grown and made for current consumption, with an emphasis on fruit characteristics:

- Vista Chardonnay: white peach and grapefruit characters combine with a butter lees and toasty oak. Cool fermented in stainless steel to retain fresh fruit characters and barrel fermented to help add complexity to the wine.

- Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Merlot: 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 9% Malbec. Lots of fruit emphasis with berries and plums combined with delicate savoury characters and fine tannins. The grapes were fermented in small open top fermenters which were hand plunged. The wine was then aged in French oak barrels.

Distinction wines are the premium range of wines for cellaring. They reflect more of the winemaker’s influence and have greater complexity and elegance:

- Distinction Chardonnay: Ripe peach and nectarine characters are surrounded by hazelnut and wholemeal tones, creating a wine with exceptional body and complexity. The wine was barrel fermented in French Oak with 50% of the barrels being new. The wine underwent partial malolactic fermentation and was allowed to age sur lie for a period of 14 months prior to bottling.

- Distinction Gewurztraminer: Intense Turkish delight and floral characters combine with honey flavours to create a rich wine with a soft lingering finish. The wine was cool fermented in stainless steel tanks to emphasis its fruit characters. The wine was then given extended lees contact to increase complexity on the palate.

- Distinction Sauvignon Blanc: Ripe passionfruit and melon through gooseberry and fresh asparagus. The wine finishes with a creamy texture with integrated and subtle nutty oak. This wine is a blend of seven different select parcels of estate grown Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. It has been both barrel and stainless steel tank fermented allowing complexity.

- Distinction Merlot: Sweet berry fruit and plum. Rich fruit characteristics are integrated with supple tannins to result in a superb wine with a lengthy finish. The grapes were fermented in small open top fermenters which were hand plunged with an average skin contact time of 18 days. The wine was then aged in French Oak barrels for 18 months.

Reserve wines are only available when conditions enable the finest fruit to be chosen:

- Reserve Malbec/Merlot: Fresh cherries and plums along with chewy tannins. The grapes were hand harvested and then fermented in small open top fermenters. The fermentation was then hand plunged 3 times a day for 20 days and carefully matured in French Oak barriques for 18 months.

- Reserve Zinfandel: Intense flavours of wild berries, plum pudding and spicy oak are present on the palate. The grapes were hand harvested and then fermented in small open top fermenters. The fermentation was then hand plunged 3 times a day for 25 days and carefully matured in French Oak barriques for 18 months.