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Stonecroft’s vineyards are situated in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand in the area now known as the Gimblett Gravels.

The Gimblett Gravels area has maximum daytime temperatures which, on a sunny summer’s day, are often 2˚C to 3˚C warmer than other viticultural areas in Hawke’s Bay, making it one of the hottest grape growing areas in New Zealand. Growing degree days are around 1390 (comparing favourably with 1350 in Bordeaux). Rainfall is comparatively low, with a long term average of 400mm for the growing season. Soils in this area were formed from gravels, silts and sands left behind by the changing course of the Ngaruroro River. These gravel soils, known as Omahu Gravels, are arid, infertile and free draining. Vines grow with less vigour in these soils. Yields are naturally low, concentrating flavours in the fruit and producing wine rich in flavour with ripe tannins.

 

Stonecroft’s vineyards provide an ideal terroir for producing quality wine. Syrah does particularly well as it is a vigorous variety which likes infertile, free draining, gravel soils. At Stonecroft Syrah is able to reach good ripeness levels without producing a wine excessively high in alcohol. The wine is capable of attaining an elegant muscularity which has been likened to the Northern Rhône style. Michel Chapoutier, of Maison M. Chapoutier the well known northern Rhône producer, noted this when he wrote to Stonecroft in 2001:

 

‘We had the opportunity to taste [in a restaurant] a wine of yours which impressed us and interests us a lot... Please allow us to congratulate you for your very high quality of work. The quality tasted made us think that there exists a climate and a terroir propitious to Syrah.’

 

Other red varieties also do well here. Zinfandel can achieve full ripeness and produce an impressive and concentrated wine. Cabernet Sauvignon based blends from Stonecroft are deeply coloured, with ripe blackberry flavours and a firm, tannic structure. The Merlot produced here also has ripe tannins as well as the varietal flavours of plum and cherry.

 

The terroir also influences Stonecroft’s white wines. These tend to be full bodied and concentrated. Our Chardonnay is typically intense and weighty and our Gewürztraminer has powerful spice and floral characters.