Te Mata Estate Awatea Cabernets Merlot

First produced in 1985, Te Mata Awatea is the little brother to NZ’s most famous red wine, Coleraine. Or as we like to think of it – the poor man’s Coleraine! Te Mata Estate Awatea Cabernets Merlot

Te Mata Awatea is just one of those wines you simply have to keep a stash in the cellar. Even at just under $40 this still represents great value for an extremely classy take on the classic Bordeaux style red.

Awatea and Coleraine are wines that Robert Parker, one of the world’s biggest wine gurus, labelled as “bona fide classics“. The Awatea is named after the SS Awatea, a troop carrier from WWII that has family connections to the vineyard.

This is the latest 2022 release from Te Mata, a pretty rare thing, so jump in while you can. A blend of Merlot (44%), Cabernet Sauvignon (42%) and Cabernet Franc (14%) – this release has got all of the top local critics jumping out of their seats…

93/100 (Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review)
“A blend of 44% merlot, 42% cabernet sauvignon and 14% cabernet franc. An appealing layer of herb and berry fruit with a seasoning of spicy oak. Quite a complex wine that is more vinous than fruity. A worthy lieutenant to Coleraine.”

94/100 (Huon Hooke, The Real Review)
“Deep and bright purple-red colour with a very fresh, youthful and somewhat undevelped fruit-driven bouquet of raspberry, blueberry, violet and mulberry, the palate elegantly formed and medium-full bodied, with fine powdery tannins that dry the finish cleanly. A pristine, pure-fruited style of cabernet blend with medium length and lovely balance.”

5 Stars, 96/100 (Sam Kim)
“The classic Bordeaux-like bouquet is immediately seductive, showing blackcurrant, sweet cherry, thyme, floral and elegant oak aromas on the nose. The palate has a gorgeous presence and persistency, wonderfully complemented by fleshy texture and loads of polished tannins. This is an irresistible Awatea offering drinkability as well as potential to evolve to provide even greater complexity. Outstanding value for money. A blend of 44% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon & 14% Cabernet Franc. At its best: 2025 to 2037”

5 Stars (Michael Cooper)
“Positioned below its Coleraine stablemate in Te Mata’s hierarchy of Hawke’s Bay, claret-style reds, Awatea is grown at Havelock North and in the Bullnose Vineyard, inland from Hastings. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it is hand-harvested and matured for 15 to 18 months in French oak barriques (partly new). Compared to Coleraine, in its youth Awatea is more seductive, more perfumed, and tastes more of sweet, ripe fruit, but it is more forward and slightly less concentrated. The wine can mature gracefully for many years, but is also typically delicious in its youth. The distinctive, very graceful 2022 vintage (5*) offers typically great value. Deeply coloured, it is mouthfilling, with rich plum and blackcurrant flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, good tannin backbone, and a long, finely structured, very harmonious finish. Already highly approachable, it should be at its best for drinking 2026+.“

And how many years you wonder? This excellent ’22 vintage should cellar comfortably for 15-20 years.