ELEPHANT Hill
Wine Region
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Vineyard
60 hectares
Elephant Hill is a story of human enterprise, of dreams and determination, and more than a little serendipity.
Elephant Hill, in New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay region, is an exceptional estate, grounded in the Old World philosophy of ‘terroir’ - the belief that all great wines should express the unique character of their site.
The estate’s Icon and Elemental wines are garnering increasing critical acclaim around the world. The Icons represent the ultimate blends from the very best fruit, drawn from across all three of their distinct sub-regions within Hawke’s Bay. A separate project, the Elemental collection, brings the spotlight on specific terroirs and varietal expression.
We are delighted to present the superb 2020 and 2021 vintages - contemporary classics, beautifully wrought with a sense of place.
ELLIOT PERKOFF
SENIOR BUYING ASSISTANT
May 2024
Icon wines
HIERONYMUS, AIRAVATA, SALOMÉ
The Icon wines represent the pinnacle of achievement at Elephant Hill, in terms of absolute quality, character and exception.
These are essentially ‘statement’ wines, emphatically so, blended from Elephant Hill’s highest quality fruit: the ‘cuvée ronde’ par excellence bringing together the best of the best from all three vineyard holdings: the best barrels from the best rows from the best blocks, to create blends of different clones and in the case of Hieronymus and Airavata, different grape varieties. Each Icon is created in homage to a classic ‘old world’ wine style, with its unique Hawke’s Bay accent.
ELEMENTAL
SEA, STONE, EARTH
The Elemental wines mark the next stage of Elephant Hill’s terroirs project, its natural corollary. The fruit of a single site, single blocks, a single grape variety, a single year, these are wines designed to express the unique and specific characters of Elephant Hill’s three sub-regional vineyards – that age-old and very European notion of ‘sense of place’. Their very creation marks a certain coming-of-age, showing the team’s confidence in the potential of the sites and what can be achieved through a careful viticultural practice and winemaking.
Produced only in vintages that display with clarity and definition the true potential of these vineyards, Sea, Stone and Earth are the result: limited edition wines reflective of their site.
The wines are conceived in a similar way to the Icon wines, in that specific blocks and vines are identified for their potential at the end of harvest of the previous year, deliberately pruned for low yields, then managed with kid gloves through the growing season to harvest. The canopy is carefully balanced, and the vines managed meticulously, to coax them to full potential. The attention to detail and man hours required are impressive. Obsessive? Absolutely!
THE ICONS
SALOMÉ 2021
Named after a Weiss family ancestor, this exceptional expression of the Chardonnay grape is created in the mould of great white Burgundy, whilst continuing the narrative of Hawke’s Bay’s own identity. This vintage the grapes come from the Te Awanga vineyard (80%) and Bridge Pa (20%), and were trained to low yields (35-50hl/ha on average). The fruit was carefully picked by hand then fermented in French oak barrels (40% new). The wine was aged in the same barrels for 12 months, with light bâtonnage to enhance the texture and aromatic profile. This was followed by an additional 5 months in tank, resting on the lees, allowing the flavours to meld. Total production was only 110 cases.
Simply a sensational wine. An enticing landscape of remarkable scents – delicate acacia, preserved lemon and cashew nuts. Concentrated fruit flavours of white peach and citrus zest meld seamlessly with savoury pastry notes and a flash of spicy ginger. The creamy texture and rich mouthfeel are shot through with an energising jolt of acidity.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5
Recommended drinking from 2025–2030+
£225/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
AIRAVATA 2020
In Hindu tradition, Airavata is the King of Elephants. Elephant Hill’s Airavata is made in honour of its namesake, an animal beloved of the Weiss family. It is also an homage to Côte Rôtie, made in even smaller quantities than you might find from a vigneron in that hallowed appellation: the total production was just 110 cases. Airavata brings together Syrah (99%) with a small percentage of Viognier, co-fermented as they would be in the Northern Rhône. The 2020 vintage demonstrates the warmth and structure of the Gimblett Gravels (60% of the blend), offset by the fragrant perfume of Bridge Pa fruit (39%), with the 1% Viognier coming from cool, maritime Te Awanga. It was matured for 24 months in French oak barrels (40% new), with a further 4 months on lees before bottling. A wine of polish and panache, displaying classic Syrah-Viognier characters running the gamut from floral to savoury. Violets, red and black fruit, white pepper and baking spices leap out of the glass. The nuanced palate is a layer cake of exquisite fruit, cocoa nibs, olive tapenade, sitting on fine filigree tannins, with a long, complex, lingering finish.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5
Recommended drinking from 2025–2036+
£295/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
HIERONYMUS 2020
‘Hieronymus’ seems a suitably dignified title to honour this signature wine. The word derives from Ancient Greek, meaning ‘with a sacred name’, but also pays tribute to a noble ancestor of the Weiss family, the Lord Mayor of Nuremberg in the early 1500s. While classical Bordeaux may be its stylistic inspiration, Hieronymus is created in aspiration, a vision of the potential of Hawke’s Bay as a world-class wine region. The blend brings together Cabernet Sauvignon (39% of the blend), Merlot (38%) and Cabernet Franc (23%) from Elephant Hill’s vineyard holdings in the Gimblett Gravels. It spent 24 months in French oak barrels (54% new). Total production was 251 cases. A heady perfume of black cherry, star anise, threads of sweet smoke and umami hints. The palate is packed with ripe cassis, blackberry, espresso and dark chocolate, with a meaty, leather character. This is all held in check by upright, polished tannins and a cooling freshness. The lengthy finish prolongs the wine’s power. Decadent and distinguished.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5+
Recommended drinking from 2025–2036+
£295/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
ELEMENTAL PROJECT
SEA CHARDONNAY 2021
Seemingly imbued with Pacific Ocean air, there’s a waft of saline complementing aromas of bergamot and lemon zest. The palate has energetic flavours of grapefruit and white nectarine, with an underlying tension from the bracing streak of acidity. 17 months on the fine lees (the first year in French oak (57% new) and the last 5 months in tank), give a glossy texture and a cradle of toasty oak to support the pure, pristine fruit flavours.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2024–2029+
£170/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
SEA SYRAH 2020
A light and fresh take on spicy Hawke’s Bay Syrah. Fragrant aromas of raspberry and rose petals, with dried herbs and liquorice. Super-fine cashmere tannins wrap around a core of blackberry and plum fruit, which segue into miso and hot stone, with a ferrous minerality. A compact wine, with a neat and tidy structure framing the cooling black fruit and dark chocolate flavours. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (20% new), with a further 10 months on fine lees.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2025–2031+
£170/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
STONE SYRAH 2020
100% Gimblett Gravel Syrah grapes, 10% of which were fermented as whole bunches, to add lifted aromatics. The expressive nose displays brooding dark berries, iron filings and spices such as cloves and cardamom. Long braids of elegant tannins snake around dark fruit, liquorice and leather, the finish has a cooling, mineral quality with a flicker of cigar smoke. Powerful and statuesque. It spent two years maturing in French oak barrels (42% new), then a further 4 months on fine lees.
Corney & Barrow Score 18+
Recommended drinking from 2025–2033+
£170/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
STONE MERLOT CABERNET 2020
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc were huge beneficiaries of the excellent 2020 vintage. The Elephant Hill team judged the Gimblett Gravels fruit to be ‘outstanding’ and perfect for a right-bank inspired blend. An alluring nose of sweet fruit – black cherry and blackcurrant – fused with cinnamon and vanilla. Supple, velvety tannins orbit the plush dark fruit. There are baking spices and a hint of graphite from the 24 months spent in French oak (23% new), with chocolatey fruit flavours on the long and satisfying finish.
Corney & Barrow Score 18+
Recommended drinking from 2025–2033+
£170/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
EARTH CHARDONNAY 2021
The Bridge Pa vineyard provides more opulence than its coastal counterpart. The nose is rich and complex, featuring grilled peach, toasted macadamia and a touch of vanilla. Layers of flavours unfurl. Punchy stone fruit and lemon curd give way to an earthy minerality and some spicy oak, with an oaty biscuit character. A dash (4%) of Te Awanga chardonnay reins in the wine’s soft curves with a fine line of juicy acidity. The wine spent 17 months on fine lees, 12 of which were in French oak (23% new), with the following 5 months in tank.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2024–2029+
£170/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
EARTH SYRAH 2020
An expression of Syrah that is more about grace and finesse than power. Lifted aromas of red cherry and violet perfume, with some blue fruit. Instantly seductive on the palate, creamy dark fruit, chocolate and coffee beans sit on a bed of gossamer tannins. Incorporating 20% whole bunch in the blend brings out Syrah’s black pepper and savoury spice character, whilst the addition of 1% Viognier grapes enhances floral aromatics. The up-front sweet fruit is complemented by cedar and wood smoke, from 24 months’ maturation in French oak barrels (50% new) and a further 4 months on fine lees.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5
Recommended drinking from 2024–2032+
£170/Case of 6 bottles, in bond UK