Craggy Range 2022 Prestige Release

Craggy Range

Established in 1998, Craggy Range is a family-owned winery situated in the shadow of the spectacular Te Mata Peak in the premium wine-growing area of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. With an unrelenting focus on quality, Craggy Range produces a collection of iconic wines from their exceptional estates in Hawke’s Bay and Martinborough.

When Craggy Range owners Terry and Mary Peabody first set out to start a winery with world class aspirations, their search quickly brought them to New Zealand. Looking down from Te Mata Peak onto the land where Craggy Range now stands, they were clear that they wanted to create a winery and an experience which truly evoked the unique landscapes and heritage of the region.

GIMBLETT GRAVELS, HAWKE’S BAY

TE MUNA ROAD, MARTINBOROUGH

Taking an innovative position of pursuing a multiregional approach to wine growing meant we didn’t have to compromise. After discovering the promise of New Zealand, the Peabody family focused on the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing district in Hawke’s Bay and Te Muna Road in Martinborough to produce a collection of wines that speak very much of their place.

We have an ambition to sit comfortably alongside the great wineries of the world. This ambition is underpinned by a focus on quality, evolution and custodianship, specifically around community and our land. In 2020 we embarked on an ambitious biodiversity project which will see us plant more than 100ha of native trees within our Martinborough vineyards, improving the biodiversity and eventually the quality of our soil.

To ensure a firm commitment, Terry Peabody honoured the original promise of leaving a legacy for the family to come and established a 1,000-year trust, meaning the winery can never be sold. What has followed in the last twenty or so years has been the development of an iconic New Zealand winery that has never lost sight of its provenance or its family ties.

2022 Vintage

IT WAS A YEAR WHERE ATTENTION TO DETAIL, MODERATE CROP LEVELS AND RUTHLESS PICKING DECISIONS WERE PARAMOUNT TO ACHIEVING HIGH-QUALITY WINE; FORTUNATELY FOR US AT CRAGGY, THIS IS HOW WE FARM EVERY YEAR.

The 2022 vintage was marked by an extremely warm December and January, which, up until this point, we’d been tracking as an average year across both regions. However, a considerable temperature spike in these months accelerated the vine growth and, most importantly, phenological ripeness. This was critical when rainfall events occurred during February and March, demonstrating the value of our soils’ free-draining nature. The newly planted interrow cover crops flourished with the intermittent rainfall events and warmer conditions, increasing the organic matter in the soil and scavenging any excess groundwater.

Harvest commenced early in the Gimblett Gravels, with Chardonnay being picked on February 17th. Clones 15 and 95 exhibited exceptional fruit concentration and outstanding condition.

In Martinborough, the typically windy region experienced significantly calmer weather. Combined with warmer early summer conditions, this presented challenges in canopy management. Our viticulture team conducted multiple passes for leaf plucking, crop load adjustments, and shoot positioning, which were crucial for achieving maximum fruit ripeness. As a result, we harvested whites early with excellent sugar levels and intense flavours.

For the reds, whilst potential alcohol was lower, the early development during that warm spring has resulted in fantastic ripe flavours and soft, mature tannins. The first pick in Martinborough occurred on March 12th, with the new Donald block showcasing exceptional fruit quality that underscores the uniqueness of this site.

Te Muna Road

THE MARTINBOROUGH DISTRICT WAS ORIGINALLY SELECTED FOR ITS UNIQUE COMBINATION OF SOILS AND CLIMATE.

Martinborough has two significant climatic influences. Firstly, wind. Particularly in spring and early summer, reducing vigour and crop on the vines. Secondly, warmth. While Martinborough is similar in degree days to Marlborough, the structure of this heat is quite different. The higher elevation, shelter and distance from the ocean means we are not affected by the sea breeze in summer. The effect is a cooler spring and later start to bud burst and a more continental environment.

Two distinct terraces make up the vineyard, one comprising alvi-fulvic soils that are more than 20,000 years old and at higher altitudes. These rocks are full of complex minerals such as feldspars and argillite,

slowly released into the surrounding soil. The subsoil layers also contain ancient weathered volcanic ash, which has reacted with the rocks and hastened their decomposition to a point where they can be easily broken. This produces exceptional Pinot Noir, which stylistically shows incredible complexity, a reserved intellectual feel, and great length.

The second lower terrace comprises younger stony soils interlaced with limestone lumps, providing an excellent environment for Sauvignon Blanc. Here the vines are matched and planted to these variations, creating more than ten individual parcels within the vineyard.

LATITUDE: 41.2

SEASONAL RAINFALL: 446mm

AVERAGE VINE AGE: 15-20 years

DEGREE DAYS: 1160. This compares to 1346 in Marlborough

SOIL TYPES: Top Terrace: 75b Tauherenikau stony silt loam. Lower Terrace: Greytown silt loam and sandy loam, Ruamahanga sandy loam Omahu Stony Gravels Class 1

TOTAL PLANTED LAND AREA: 94.44ha

Aroha

Aroha is a romantic word in the Maori language of New Zealand, meaning love. Reflective of its namesake, Aroha is handcrafted with passion from unique parcels of Pinot Noir, including one of the renowned Abel clone. The pedigree of particular blocks in our Te Muna vineyard is paramount to the quality of this wine. At over 20 years of age, the balance in our best blocks, identified by a narrow band of clay over stone, straddles that line between power and beauty. When crafting this wine, we look for the quality of tannin to be the ultimate driver, and with Aroha, the velvet line provides unmistakable length.

TASTING NOTE:

In the glass, this 100% Pinot Noir is bright burgundy with a light crimson hue. Ample perfume. A complex bouquet of glazed cherries, lavender and thyme. A fine-boned structure, red fruit dominated-very focused and pretty. It’s an elegant Aroha release that is already showing tremendous approachability.

BRIX 23.1 average

PRODUCTION LEVEL 25 hl/ha average

HAND HARVESTED 100%

WHOLE BUNCH 0%

DESTEMMED 100%

FERMENTATION VESSEL

Combination of open top stainless steel tanks and French oak cuves

FERMENTATION Indigenous and innoculated

BARREL TYPE French oak barriques

NEW BARREL % 35%

MATURATION 14 months

FINING Yes

FILTRATION No

BOTTLED July 2023

LATITUDE: 39.2

SEASONAL RAINFALL: 448mm

AVERAGE VINE AGE: 16-18 years

DEGREE DAYS: 1503. This compares to 1580 in Napa City, 1450 in Bordeaux and 1346 in Marlborough

SOIL TYPES: Omahu Stony Gravels Class 1

TOTAL PLANTED LAND AREA: 85ha

(approx 15% of the total Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District)

Gimblett Gravels

HAWKE’S BAY’S GIMBLETT GRAVELS WINEGROWING DISTRICT LIES ON THE ANCIENT BED OF THE NGARURORO RIVER, WHICH CHANGED COURSE IN 1867 TO EXPOSE ITS SOILS FOR POSSIBLE VITICULTURE.

The soils are composed of small to mediumsized greywacke stones, interspersed with layers of silt and sand down to a depth of at least 40 metres. The stones on the surface absorb sunlight and heat during the day and radiate heat at night, enhancing the vine’s ripening capacity. The stony soil structure allows for very rapid drainage after rainfall events; the low water-holding ability enables us to control vine growth.

Finally, with the low soil content in the profile, there is naturally low fertility which aids in keeping the vine vigour low to moderate. These are soils requiring precise preparation and management. When done well, they offer great potential in this locality to produce rich, ripe, yet elegantly structured red wines with a distinctive mineral, hot stone and fine dusty character, which we affectionately call ‘Gimblett Dust’.

While the Gimblett Gravels is warm for New Zealand standards, it is still not hot in a world wine context. The combination of relatively low altitude and proximity to the sea, yet sheltered from the direct effect of the sea breeze, creates what we describe as a temperate maritime climate. This location, altitude, and the stony soil’s warming influence creates the warmest site in Hawke’s Bay.

The lack of excessive heat in the Gimblett Gravels is also a critical factor as it means the aromatic characters in the fruit, which contribute to the floral notes, are retained.

Les Beaux Cailloux

Sourced from a single block, Les Beaux Cailloux (the beautiful pebbles) is our most pure, complex and refined Chardonnay. We look for restraint in our winemaking and believe this Chardonnay reflects our style more than the region around us. The minerality and savouriness of this wine and its energy are entirely unique, attributed to the concentration of stones and the single-block nature of our philosophy and handling.

TASTING NOTE:

Pale straw colour. An intense and fragrant nose of lemon curd and zest, roasted hazelnut, brioche, and white blossoms. It flows across the palate with ease, yet there’s a salinity and vivacity woven in keeping freshness and definition. A plethora of savoury and citrus flavours is perfectly in balance. It speaks volumes to the distinct house style capturing both site and vintage.

BRIX 20.4 average

PRODUCTION LEVEL 30 hl/ha average

HAND HARVESTED 100%

WHOLE BUNCH 100%

DESTEMMED 0%

FERMENTATION VESSEL

French oak barrique and puncheon

FERMENTATION Indigenous

BARREL TYPE

French oak barrique and puncheon

NEW BARREL % 33%

MATURATION 12 months

FINING No

FILTRATION Yes

BOTTLED July 2023

ALCOHOL 13

RESIDUAL SUGAR Nil

3.26

5.95 g/l

Le Sol

Le Sol (the soil) is crafted from Syrah grown in the stoniest parts of our Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, planted to a heritage clone brought to New Zealand in the 1840s. Intensively hand-managed, Le Sol is always aromatically pure, with a luscious yet elegant mid-palate and a distinctive fine tannin finish. Rich, evocative, yet refined, Le Sol has evolved in style since its first release over twenty years ago to achieve that balance between intense but floral Syrah in its purest form. The longevity of this wine is never in doubt; however, there is an increasing approachability in this wine upon release, so its beauty can be appreciated now while also anticipating future occasions when it will truly shine.

TASTING NOTE:

A very dark purple core. Aromas of lavender, black tea, graphite, and mulberry resonate. In the mouth, the wine is very expressive. Umami and floral notes complement, creating a deeply flavourful and energetic palate. Tannins are ultra-fine, silk-laden, and thread in with the dense texture, making an already very approachable release, but will reward with cellaring and age with grace.

BRIX 22.9 average

PRODUCTION LEVEL 25 hl/ha average

HAND HARVESTED 100%

WHOLE BUNCH 0%

DESTEMMED 100%

FERMENTATION VESSEL Open top French oak cuves

FERMENTATION Inoculated

BARREL TYPE French and Austrian oak barriques and puncheons

NEW BARREL % 45%

MATURATION 17 months

FINING Yes

FILTRATION Yes

BOTTLED December 2023

ALCOHOL 13

Sophia

Sophia, the height of elegance and longevity, predominantly showcases Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon and increasingly significant Cabernet Franc. Crafted at our Giants winery, Sophia embodies opulence and ripe flavours with a tannin structure supporting extensive aging. With vines now over 25 years old, our distinct Merlot blocks contribute aromatic elegance and plush power. Evolving winemaking techniques yield depth and balance with silk-laden tannins accentuated by elevated perfume.

TASTING NOTE:

Deep, dark garnet red. Intensely aromatic, with notes of mulberry, blackcurrant, and mocha. Gorgeous and distinctly open. It is very approachable, with darker cherries, cinnamon, and chocolate flavours flowing seamlessly through the palate. It is effortlessly pure, allowing immediate enjoyment, although it’s evident the pedigree of this site is built for time.

BRIX 22.9 average

PRODUCTION LEVEL 20 hl/ha average

HAND HARVESTED 100%

WHOLE BUNCH 0%

DESTEMMED 100%

FERMENTATION VESSEL Open top French oak cuves

FERMENTATION Inoculated

BARREL TYPE French oak barriques

NEW BARREL % 33%

MATURATION 17 months

FINING Yes

FILTRATION Yes

BOTTLED November 2023

ALCOHOL 13 RESIDUAL SUGAR

g/l

craggy range vineyards ltd.

253 Waimarama Road, Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

www.craggyrange.com