Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett Gravels - Proof New Zealand Offers Much More Than Sauv Blanc

Revisiting one of the bottles that got me hooked on wine, the Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett Gravels.

76% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec from New Zealand. The wine was aged in 18% new oak barriques for 17 months.

Sample submitted for review. The Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett Gravels has an SRP of $23 and is available for as low as $17. Ready to buy? Check your local retailers. Imported by Kobrand Corporation.

From the bottle:

Craggy Range is a family owned winery specializing in the production of single vineyard wines. Te Kahu (tek kaahoo) means "the cloak" and takes its name from the cloak of mist that covers the hills around our Giants winery. This traditional wine is a proprietary blend of different red grapes grown in our Gimblett Gravels Vineyard. The proportions change to reflect every vintage and to ensure our "house style" is preserved. Te Kahu is a wine of richness, with lovely black fruit flavours, hints of spice and a long, fine graceful finish.

14.0% Alcohol

When most people think of New Zealand wine, Sauvignon Blanc (or perhaps Pinot Noir) is the first thing to come to mind. And while New Zealand can certainly make a great Sauvignon Blanc, that's certainly not the only special wine coming out of this country. Today's Bordeaux style blend is Exhibit A.

This is also a wine we have a long history with. The first vintage we reviewed (and highly recommended) was the 2009. Six vintages later it seems not much has changed -- which is a very, very good thing!

The 2015 Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Proprietary Red begins with a very enticing bouquet of plum, blackberry, cedar, licorice, violets and a little vanilla. The wine tastes smooth and rich with luscious fruit flavors. It also has well-integrated and dusty tannins that really enhance its easy-to-drink nature while also adding a nice level of complexity. The dry finish features fruit and spice notes which last for quite a while in the mouth. Once again, I was really blown away by the quality of this wine. Even at $17, it's a steal. Highly recommended!

Looking for more of The Best Red Blends Under $20? Check out our giant listing here!