Babich 'The Patriarch' Red Blend

Darkly perfumed with layers of spice, cassis and plum, with a touch of cedar. The palate is full, round and dense, with flavours of dark chocolate, blueberry, cinnamon and a touch of cigar box. An elegant and powerful wine with delightful transparency.

• Winery: Babich Wines
  
• Varietal: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Malbec, 11% Merlot
  
• Region: Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
  
• Vintage: 2018
  
• Alcohol: 14.4%
  
• Volume: 750ml
  
• Closure: Cork
• Other: Sustainable Winegrowing
• Food pairing: Grilled beef, lamb, pork & chicken; burgers; pasta with tomato-based sauces; garlic & mushrooms; mild-medium cheeses

The Patriarch is Babich's flagship red wine. Grown on their Gimblett Gravels 'Irongate' vineyard in Hawke's Bay and made in honour of the company founder and New Zealand wine industry pioneer, Josip Babich. This wine allows Babich complete flexibility, in order to make the best they can - they are not committed to a particular variety or blend and crop levels are very restricted.

“To have vineyards in the right regions on superior sites, and getting the right varieties on those superior sites. We aim to sustainably craft wines that are stylish and refined and have easy drinking appeal.” Joe Babich 

"The land is our longest serving winemaker

The Babich family has been making wine in New Zealand since 1916, making us New Zealand’s most experienced family-owned winery. With no less than three generations of innovation, achievement and winemaking excellence across three outstanding winemaking regions – it’s not just our passion, our livelihoods and our future. It’s our way of life.

A long history of looking ahead

From our diverse vineyards to your table, our wines offer a direct connection to New Zealand, the beautiful country we call home. The love of our craft. Doing things by hand. And caring for our land. They’re all ingredients of our slow, careful process in an ever-changing, always-on world. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

People thought Josip Babich was crazy back in 1912. Planting vines in remote New Zealand, then patiently making wine the difficult way – with vision, thoughtfulness, ingenuity, and true craft. That hard-working spirit is something that still runs deep in our veins today; and we’ll keep ‘paying it forward’ for as long as we exist.

We’ll never stop striving to delight wine drinkers and make the everyday extraordinary – so you can taste the care that goes into our wines. From grape, to glass. Every time. 

A future of gentle growth

Our wines have delighted wine drinkers around the world. But rather than become a faceless corporation, even after a century our vision is to simply share our passion through patience, experience and good old-fashioned wisdom. All so we can pay it forward by leading the style and evolution of sustainably grown and crafted New Zealand wine for another 100 years – and beyond.

Our Family

The Babich family have been making wine in New Zealand since 1916. We’re the country’s most experienced family owned winery, with three generations of innovation, achievement and winemaking excellence. It’s our passion, our work, and our way of life.

Our Legacy

Our family business has always been about more give and less take. It’s a powerful, but gentle, philosophy that has guided us for decades to do the right thing for those who will come after us."

Babich

• Double Gold - 2023 China Wine & Spirits Awards (2018 vintage)
• 96/100 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2016 vintage)
  
• 96/100 Points - Cameron Douglas, The Shout Hospitality Magazine (2016 vintage)
  
• 5 Stars - Michael Cooper (2016 vintage)
  
• 93/100 Points - Rebecca Gibb, Decanter Magazine (2016 vintage)
  
• 90/100 Points - Otago Daily Times (2016 vintage)