Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story

Gimblett Gravels 2017 – the rainy vintage

Monday 21 October 2019
Gimblett gravel and vines in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

The latest audit of the best reds from a particularly gravelly spot on New Zealand's North Island.

As long-standing members may remember, the producers of the Gimblett Gravels in New Zealand's Hawke's Bay region submit their wines each year to Andrew Caillard MW for him to make a selection of the dozen wines he thinks best exemplify the vintage. These are then circulated to people like me to taste. (Click on the Gimblett Gravels tag above for reports on previous vintages.)

His most recent task, to taste through the 2017s, was perhaps one of the more difficult since 2017 was a particularly challenging...

Become a member to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 287,383 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 287,383 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 287,383 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 287,383 wine reviews & 15,845 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Tasting articles

Opus prep at 67
Tasting articles Quite a vertical! In London in November 2025, presented by Opus’s long-standing winemaker. Opus One is the wine world’s seminal...
Doug Tunnell, owner of Brick House Vineyard credit Cheryl Juetten
Tasting articles Save water, drink these wines from the Deep Roots Coalition, a group of wineries who eschew irrigation. Among them is...
Rippon vineyard
Tasting articles Twenty-two reasons not to do Dry January. Among them, a Pinot Noir produced by Rippon, from their vineyards on the...
Alder's most memorable wines of 2025
Tasting articles Pleasure – and meaning – in the glass. In reflecting on a year of tasting, I am fascinated by what...

More from JancisRobinson.com

Las Teresas with hams
Nick on restaurants Head to the far south of Spain for atmospheric and inexpensive hospitality. Above, the Bar Las Teresas in the old...
cacao in the wild
Free for all De-alcoholised wine is a poor substitute for the real thing. But there are one or two palatable alternatives. A version...
Sunny garden at Blue Farm
Don't quote me Jet lag, a bad cold, but somehow an awful lot of good wine was enjoyed. This diary is a double...
Novus winery at night
Wines of the week A breath of fresh air that’s a perfect antidote to holiday immoderation. Labelled Nasiakos [sic] Mantinia in the US. From...
View of Serralunha d'Alba
Inside information A pleasant surprise, showing more nuance and complexity than initially expected. Above, a view of Serralunga d’Alba. 2022 is widely...
View from Smith Madrone on Spring Mountain
Free for all Demand, and prices, are falling. A version of this article is published by the Financial Times. Above, the view from...
Albert Canela and Mariona Vendrell of Succes Vinicola.jpg
Wines of the week A rosé to warm your winter, from £17.30, $19.99. Above, Albert Canela and Mariona Vendrell of Succés Vinícola. The wind...
View from Le Ripi towards Monte Amiata
Inside information Brunello farmers never knew what nature would throw at them next in 2025. Yet somehow they managed, even claiming that...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.