Church Road TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

TOM is the pinnacle of winemaking at Church Road and only ever released in the greatest of vintages.

TOM is Church Road’s tribute to one of New Zealand’s winemaking legends, Tom McDonald. The very best parcels of fruit from their Bridge Pa and Gimblett Gravels vineyards, a meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the winemaking process, aged for 18 months in French oak, a truly world class example of Bordeaux blend red that’s a fitting tribute to Tom, nicknamed “The Father of red winemaking in New Zealand“.

Tom released NZ’s first commercial Cabernet Sauvignon in 1949, in later years pioneering New Zealand Chardonnay. By the 1960’s his Cabernets were being compared to some of the First Growth wines of Bordeaux. So yep, there’s certainly a bit of pressure when it comes to a release under the TOM label!

There’s a hell of a lot of excitement over this 2020 release with a 97/100 score and Top Rank Award with The Real Review’s Master of Wine Bob Campbell.

Bob said “Intense, dark-tinted blended red in a 1500ml magnum. Already showing some chocolate/mocha bottle development although the wine is built for the long distance with cabernet sauvignon density and power. Impressive concentration and complexity with layers of flavour wrapped around a core of sweet fruit. A serious long distance red that should interest collectors and investors”

Local critic Sam Kim scored it a near perfect 99/100 and said “A profound expression, the bouquet is mesmerising and captivating with cassis, potpourri, cedary oak and toasted spice aromas with a hint of tobacco nuance. The powerfully concentrated palate displays sumptuous mouthfeel and graceful presence, wonderfully structured by seamlessly woven chalky tannins. Symphonic and sublime. A blend of Redstone Vineyard (Bridge Pa Triable) & Gimblett Vineyard. At its best: 2026 to 2045.”

Each bottle is individually numbered and presented in a stunning Church Road TOM gift box. If you’re a TOM collector, this is the one you’ve been waiting for! If you’re new to TOM, what a way to start! This is a wine they’ll be talking about for years to come.

We’ve secured a small shipment but once it’s gone, it’s gone. Cellar this one up to 2045.