The Gimblett Gravels is a unique 800-hectare alluvial fan of ancient river shingle at the heart of Hawke's Bay on New Zealand's North Island — the country's finest red wine sub-region. The warm stones (once the bed of the Ngaruroro River) store heat by day and release it at night, creating the warmest growing environment in New Zealand's coolest wine latitudes. Bordeaux varieties, Syrah, and Viognier thrive on the free-draining gravel soils. Wines show Mediterranean warmth with New Zealand's characteristic fresh acid backbone.
| Year | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | Hawke's Bay heat accumulation excellent; Gimblett gravel sites produced Syrah of characteristic concentration and fresh-acid structure. |
| 2022 | — | Outstanding New Zealand vintage; warmth stored in the ancient river shingle produced Bordeaux blends of unusual depth and structure. |
| 2021 | — | Reliable Gimblett vintage; the shingle's heat-storage properties maintained even ripening through a variable New Zealand growing season. |
| 2020 | — | La Niña cooling affected Hawke's Bay; Gimblett's thermal mass maintained quality better than clay sites in the broader region. |
| 2019 | — | Landmark Gimblett Gravels vintage; Le Sol Syrah and Sophia achieved qualities that placed them among the world's finest Rhône and Bordeaux-style wines. |