Chris Pask, a true pioneer of the Gimblett Gravel region, was flying overhead in the cockpit of his topdressing plane in the 1960’s when he saw the region and its huge potential. He saw past what was initially a sort of a barren landscape and thought that beautiful wine could be created here. His instincts proved to be correct!
Today the region is celebrated as a leading viticultural area. His sense that exceptional grapes could be grown in the stony soils of the archaic Ngaruroro River bed was right on the money. He began on Korokipo Road, Hawkes Bay, and by 1981 he had founded Pask Winery and in 1985 things were starting to look promising with an exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage. In 1991 he planted the first vines on the now famous Gimblett Gravel district marking the modest start to their successful journey. Hawkes Bay province has many climatic elements that set it apart. Perfectly sheltered from wind bought over by the Pacific Ocean and therefore around 3 degrees warmer than any other growing region in New Zealand, 2320 hours of sunshine annually, moderate rainfall, with a warm martitime climate are all ideal conditions for growing exceptional grapes.
As well as this, Gimblett Gravel specifically benefits from the alluvial soil deposited from historic flooding of the Ngaruroro River, which has created soil rich in gravel, stones and slit but low in nutrients. The idea that the best wines are from less fertile soil certainty holds true here, as the vigour is low and thus the grapes are naturally more concentrated in flavour. Moreover, thermal conductivity in the stones keep the Vineyard warmer at night, reflecting back onto the vines heat absorbed during the day increasing the intensity of flavour within the grapes. Appreciation for the community and the land, has been part of their business model and philosophy from the day they planted their first vines at Gimblett gravel in 1981. They’ve been frontrunners in terms of environmental responsibility and sustainability in the New Zealand wine industry ever since, achieving ISO 14001 accreditation in 1998.
At Pask Winery, they focus on making timeless styles of wine; from the dusty tannins of their soil to their golden sunshine, the wines really tell you a story about the terroir and the dedicated people involved from Vineyard to production. From grape-picking in their 60 hectares of vineyards to bottling at the Hawke’s Bay winery, there is hands-on attention throughout the winemaking process.
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