The Terraces Vintages

Esk Valley’s premium wine, "The Terraces" is only produced in outstanding vintage years, and the amount made is always very small.

The Terraces 2009

    - Made only in very small quantities. Each of the bottles are individually numbered, tissue wrapped and shipped in wooden boxes. Buy online or contact the Cellar Door at enquiries@eskvalley.co.nz 

The Terraces 2008

- Not produced in this vintage. 

The Terraces 2007

-  Not produced in this vintage.

The Terraces 2006

This steep north - west facing vineyard was originally planted in the 1940's and then re-established with its current plantings in 1989. It occupies approximately 1 hectare and is planted with Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which are harvested and fermented together as a true expression of the vineyard.

The soils are complex, containing layers of seashells and limestone, interspersed with clay and volcanic ash. Fertility is low. The vines are spur-pruned, thinned to one bunch per shoot and hand harvested.

This is handcrafted wine and a true vineyard blend with all harvested fruit being co-fermented in a single open topped fermenter. All efforts have been made to produce a wine that is an expression of its site.

The wine is very deeply coloured and full of primary black fruits including cherry and blackberry. As a young wine, French oak notes complement the fruit, but with age, complexity and vineyard nuances will predominate.

This wine has been sealed with a screwcap to guarantee the quality of each bottle and offer even greater cellaring potential.

The Terraces 2004

It gives me pleasure to advise you that another vintage of “The Terraces” is to be released en primeur.

As demand continues to outstrip supply, we foresee the entire 3,500 bottle production being allocated amongst our en primeur customers, sold on a first come first served basis. It is doubtful that any wine will be available for general sale.

"The Terraces" 2004 is currently in barrel and showcases the 2004 Hawkes Bay harvest. After a trying 2003 vintage, it was with relief that the 2004 offered dry harvest conditions, the vines making full use of the long and cool autumn.

Harvested on a single April day, this co-fermented Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend is full bodied, multi dimensional in its flavour profile and will benefit from a period of cellar ageing.

Mike Cooper in his new edition of “Classic Wines of New Zealand” has once again rated “The Terraces” one of New Zealand’s few Super Classics, and this new vintage will not disappoint.

The Terraces 2003

- Not  produced in this vintage.

The Terraces 2002

This is a true vineyard blend and handcrafted wine. All effort has been made to make a wine that is a true expression of its site.

The blend of Malbec (44%), Merlot (33%) and Cabernet Franc (24%) captures perfectly the uniqueness and beauty of the site and the excellent growing conditions that was the 2002 season.

The wine is very deeply coloured and full of primary black fruits.

As a young wine, french oak notes complement the fruit, but with time, complexity and vineyard nuances will predominate.

This wine has been sealed with a screwcap to guarantee the quality of each bottle and offer even greater cellaring potential.

The Terraces 2001

- Not produced in this vintage.

The Terraces 2000

Winemaker‘s notes: The wine is a blend of Malbec 39%, Merlot 33% and Cabernet Franc 28%. The flavours found in the wine are black cherries, blackberries and chocolate with well integrated oak spice.

The wine is mouth-filling and generous, very drinkable as young wine, but possessing ripe tannins to give the wine cellaring potential.

The 2000 is a classic vintage of the “The Terraces”.

Once again low yields and attention to detail at every stage of the production process has reaped results. This wine is not produced in lesser vintages and it gives the team at Esk Valley great pride to offer another vintage.

This is a new world wine made in a traditional and time honoured fashion, with no compromises made to quality.

The Terraces 1999

- Not produced in this vintage.

 The Terraces 1998

Winemaker‘s notes: Benefiting from its hottest summer yet, the vineyard achieved its highest brix. This is the most mouth-filling and most exotic of the wines produced. It was also the first vintage to have a predominance of Malbec.It was released en primeur to an eager market both in New zealand and the UK. A blend of 45% Malbec, 35% Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Franc. Alcohol 14%.

The Terraces 1997

- Not produced in this vintage.

The Terraces 1996 

- Not produced in this vintage.

The Terraces 1995

Winemaker‘s notes: The summer of 1995 was the hottest this vineyard had experienced. Yields were deliberately kept at 1 tonne per acre and the fully ripened grapes were harvested in late March, producing a wine of great colour, fragrance and intense flavours with fully ripened tannins.

Hand harvested, hand plunged in wax lined concrete fermenters, racked barrel to barrel and lightly egg white fined, this wine has been hand crafted in a traditional and time honoured manner.

A black and tarry wine with licorice, spice and strong berryfruit flavours. A rich and very drinkable wine with excellent cellaring potential.

The Terraces 1994

Winemaker‘s notes : After no 1993 due to the very cool and wet nature of the vintage it was a relief to have another wine of quality.

The 1994 vintage was cool but unusually dry and all varieties ripened sufficiently to be incorporated in the blend.

This was the last vintage to incorporate Cabernet Sauvignon. A blend of 40% Merlot, 25% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Terraces 1993

- Not produced in this vintage.

The Terraces 1992

Winemaker‘s notes : A cool vintage due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere from the eruption of Mt Pinotubo. A blend of 40 % Merlot, 40% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Franc. 

The Terraces 1991

Winemaker‘s notes: This first small vintage quickly became a New Zealand Classic. A blend of the four varietals, harvested in one pick and fermented together. 150 cases only were produced.