2020 Elephant Hill Hieronymus
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Tasting notes
Crafted from the Gimblett Gravels, Hieronymous is Elephant Hill's flagship Bordeaux-inspired blend. The 2020 vintage combines Cabernet Sauvignon (38.5%), Merlot (38.5%) and Cabernet Franc (23%) before heading to barrels (just over half new) for 24 months. Compared with the Cabernet Sauvignon dominant expression of 2019, this is a little more open and curvy, with a sense of fine, gravelly tannins cupping the entirety of the mouth. There's decent concentration here with soft plummy fruits meeting savory and herbal characters, cedar, spices and a delicate top note of violets. A bright flush of fresh acidity runs through the wine as it finishes, making for a refreshing conclusion. Those tannins need several years in bottle to polymerize.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Full screwcapped bottle 1,329 g. 38.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38.5% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc planted east–west 20 years ago on flat, thin topsoil of fine, sandy loam over stone gravels mixed with varying proportions of sand. Picked 24 March, 3 and 4 April. Aged for 24 months in French oak (54% new). Deep, lustrous crimson. Savoury, sappy nose with just a hint of sweet oak at this stage but there is very endearing ripe fruit. Very lively but with a great velvety texture too. Should mature into something really very exciting. (JR)