Trinity Hill Prison Block Gimblett Gravels New Zealand 2019 (14.5% ABV) – 90.3
SF | Onyx core, Zurbaran foreboding; a nose of cassis, almost in liqueur form; behind that, embers and late-season roses. There is tar and a fierce tannic backdrop, almost too youthful to be described as powdery. The hints of garrigue and mint on the nose are replicated on the palate and add a revealing backstory to what is currently a dark web of shadowy intrigue. One to revisit in five years, and then five years after that... repeating as necessary! 92
AR | Youthfully primary in color but just starting to evolve, this shows in the aromas, which are nicely reminiscent of blackcurrant shaded by a light touch of vanilla oak; the flavors are rich in cassis fruit, while the oak pokes through in a texture that combines both oak- and fruit-tannin, leading to a degree of extracted dryness; and while the fruit is full-flavored and fresh, a slight question mark lingers over when that dryness will start to become incorporated; a wine that, even down the track, will need suitably protein-rich food to absorb those tannins. 90
DW | Dark, inky, opaque, purple appearance, and not hugely aromatic. On the palate, this has a concentrated but not overwrought feel, with an intense, vivid, macerated blackcurrant character, a touch of raspberry, too. Very youthful and tight, with a streak of freshness; lots of tannin but ripe, fruit-based tannin. There's some energy here, albeit somewhat contained at present, and a sense of coolness. 89