Unison Vineyard, situated in the renowned Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district of Hawke’s Bay, stands as a testament to premium New Zealand red grape cultivation. As a small family estate, we take pride in offering a unique and exceptional selection of wines.
When you choose to invest in a case from Unison Vineyard, you have the option to curate your collection by selecting either a variety of unique wines or a uniform set.
Tailor your own case to your preferences, choosing from our distinctive range of wines that capture the essence of our vineyard. Whether you opt for a mix or a uniform selection, each case is a carefully crafted representation of our dedication to quality.
It’s important to note that our cases are available in quantities ranging from a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 12. This flexibility allows you to explore our offerings at your own pace, ensuring you can savour the unique character of Unison Vineyard in every bottle.
Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard
62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot.
Unison Vineyard is a small Family Estate in the heart of the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District in Hawkes Bay. Established in 1993, with densely planted vines that are carefully managed for low yield, ripeness and intense flavour. Our red wines are made from 100% Gimblett Gravels fruit grown in our own vineyard
Unison Selection is our Icon wine and from 2009 is always Cabernet Sauvignon dominant with Merlot. It is made from grapes selected from the best parts of the vineyard and crop thinned to a maximum of 12 bunches per vine. It is only made in vintages that are good.
Vintage 2016
Vintage 2016 growing season can be summed up as good, but challengingly erratic. We experienced a cool start to the growing season with the growing degree running below average until mid-January. February was a scorcher, and permitted the ripening of all our grapes to move into the “normal window”. March and April had threats of rain, but on the whole, were fine and warm allowing us to pick healthy grapes in good conditions.
Winemaking
Gentle handling and attention to detail are the hallmarks of our winemaking. We handpick our grapes, then de-stem and lightly crush to just break their skins before they go into small, open topped fermenting vats.
The ferments are worked by hand plunging along with drain and returns to maximise gentle tannin extraction, and extended post ferment maceration allows us to achieve a balance between fruit intensity and tannin structure. After basket pressing the individual component varieties of the 2016 Selection went into barrel. The blend was put together in Spring 2017 and continued to matured in French oak barrels.
Tasting Note
Bold, fragrant aromatics of sweet blackcurrants, crushed dried herbs layered with vanilla, cedar and cinnamon bark.
Bold and precise on the entry to the palate with sustained flavours of cassis, cocoa and graphite. Well knit, lacy tannins dance on the finish.
Elegant and fine, this wine will continue to develop complexity with careful cellaring. This wine will benefit from decanting while still young.
Hawke’s Bay was again blessed by wonderful grape growing conditions in 2020. Chardonnay is early ripening and can often fall foul of the first big rain event post summer so it was a relief to have good weather over period running up to harvest which ensured the crop was ripe with healthy bunches.
This wine is Maestro Jenny Dobson’s baby and is named after her. Jenny began learning her craft in Burgundy at Domaine Dujac (79-81) and then honed it further at Chateau Senejac (Bordeaux), Franklin Estate (Australia) and finally 10 years as winemaker at our neighbours Te Awa Farm before working at Unison. By combining all her skills and expertise she has a real passion for crafting a well balanced, elegant Chardonnay that will age gracefully. Unison Maestro Chardonnay is Reserved for good vintages and only 6 x 225L French Oak barriques are made one of which is new oak.
We sourced outstanding Chardonnay grapes grown in the neighbouring Bridge Pa triangle and picked under perfect conditions in mid March. After gentle pressing we fermented in French oak barrels using different yeast strains in each barrel to add to aromatic and textural complexity. The wine was aged on lees and some barrels went through malolactic fermentation in Spring. Lees were regularly stirred to enrich the texture and after 10 months the wine was taken out of barrel and bottling on site in February 2021. Bottle aged for further 2 years release March 2023.
Tasting Notes
Deep golden colour
Aromas and flavours of fresh ripe apricots, yellow peach, toasted almonds and hints of fresh cream, give complexity and intensity to the aromatics. The palate is rich with a velvety texture and packed with stonefruit, toasted nuts and a citrus finish. Enjoy this chardonnay in its youth, or cellar carefully for enjoyment over the next 3 years.
A “Goldilocks“ of chardonnays with a little of everything that is classic to the variety without any one note overpowering another. A perfect wine to drink and enjoy in many occasions and with a variety of fresh, medium textured and flavoured dishes.
Suggested dishes
Salad of fresh ripe Hawkes Bay nectarines, torn mozzarella, prosciutto, fresh basil, toasted hazelnuts, baby lettuce leaves sprinkled with a white wine vinaigrette.
Baked Citrus and Herb crusted monk fish with a hazelnut butter.
“In true Unison fashion this wine is certainly not a mass produced NZ Sauvignon Blanc with just a tad over 1000 bottles produced! This has enabled us to craft a slightly different style of Sauvignon Blanc which we think is a very Snazzy, hope you agree.
Layers of gooseberry, passionfruit and crushed herbs jump out of the glass. In the mouth an explosion of lime zest, gooseberry and passionfruit linger with a freshness on the finish.”
Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard
Vintage 2016
Vintage 2016 growing season can be summed up as good, but challengingly erratic. We experienced a cool start to the growing season with the growing degree running below average until mid- January. February was a scorcher, and permitted the ripening of all our grapes to move into the “normal window”. March and April had threats of rain, but on the whole, were fine and warm allowing us to pick healthy grapes in good conditions.
Winemaking – hand crafted with attention to detail.
The grapes for Merlin’s Merlot were hand picked and fermented in small open topped vats. The fermentations were carefully monitored and worked daily by hand. The new wine spent 3 weeks macerating with the grape skins while the tannins and fruit evolved and developed. When a balance point was reached we “devatted” and basket pressed the grape skins. The new wine spent 20 months maturing in oak barrels and puncheons and was bottled on the property in March 2018. Further maturing in bottle for 5 years, release Mar 2023.
Tasting Note
Bold penetrating aromas of roasted black Doris plum, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and a hint of liquorice.
Supple with sustained presence on the palate. Layered flavours of spicy dark fruits, chocolate, and dried herbs.
Great balance with fine tannins that melt on the finish carrying the flavours to persist with freshness and purity.
Drink now and cellar with confidence.
Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard
Vintage 2016
Unison Symphony Syrah is the ultimate Syrah of each vintage. We carefully make this wine from our oldest vines in the vineyard and by using small batch ferments with different yeasts together with multiple French and American Oak producers barrels helps us create complexity. Careful blending of our batches gives us our Symphony as each batch played its part.
Winemaking
Gentle handling and attention to detail are the hallmarks of our winemaking. We handpick our grapes, then de-stem and lightly crush to just break their skins before they go into small, open topped fermenting vats. The ferments are worked by hand plunging along with drain and returns to maximise gentle tannin extraction, and extended post ferment maceration allows us to achieve a balance between fruit intensity and tannin structure. After basket pressing the batches of 2016 Syrah went into a mix of French and American barrels for the next 20 months. 25% of the barrels were new. The wine was bottled on the property in March 2018 and laid down to rest until its release December 2021
Tasting Note
Spice and berry fruit abound on the nose with aromas of blueberry and cranberry highlighted with five spice, vanilla and sweet leather.
Intense dark berry fruit flavours are wound around a dense core of dark spicy chocolate, with fine, lifted, supple tannins giving depth and structure.
Layered with flavours, Symphony Syrah glides over the palate with a bold and graceful balance between its fruit, acid and tannin.
Enjoy now (or cellar) with game meats, lamb or dark chocolate desserts.
The Unison Vineyards – Pinot Gris – ‘Bumble Bee’ 2021 grapes were hand-picked by our team and they were so ripe that the bees were swarming all over the bunches and picking bins. The bees clearly thought they were perfect grapes so hopefully you enjoy this as much as they did!
Ripe pear and gentle baking spice aromas mingle with rose petals. Lush and velvety in the mouth with flavours of pears, apricots and cinnamon.”
Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard
52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah.
Vintage 2016
Vintage 2016 growing season can be summed up as good, but challengingly erratic. We experienced a cool start to the growing season with the growing degree running below average until mid-January. February was a scorcher, and permitted the ripening of all our grapes to move into the “normal window.” March and April had threats of rain, but on the whole, were fine and warm allowing us to pick healthy grapes in good conditions.
Winemaking
Gentle handling and attention to detail are the hallmarks of our winemaking. We handpick our grapes, then de-stem and lightly crush to just break their skins before they go into small, open topped fermenting vats. The ferments are worked by hand plunging along with drain and returns to maximise gentle tannin extraction, and extended post ferment maceration allows us to achieve a balance between fruit intensity and tannin structure. After basket pressing the individual component varieties of the 2016 Excalibur went into barrel.
The blend was put together mid-winter 2017 and continued to mature in oak barrels. 2016 Excalibur spent 20 months in barrels and was fined using fresh egg whites and filtered before bottling on the property in March 2018. Bottle aging on site for 5 years and released August 22.
Tasting Note
Wonderful complexity of aromas. Warm spicy blueberries, black Doris plums, violets and vanilla.
Seamless and elegant on the palate with concentrated flavours of dark berry fruits, laced with warm spice, purple florals and cocoa,
Great freshness and persistence on the finish. Enjoy now or cellar with confidence.
