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 a special 2019 cellar release from Te Mata, a pretty rare thing, so jump in while you can. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (32%) and Cabernet Franc (22%) – this release has got all of the top local critics jumping out of their seats…

95/100 & Top Rank Award (Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review)
“Cabernet sauvignon-dominant, with merlot and cabernet franc, like its big brother, Coleraine. Dense, lush red with cassis, ripe berry and cedar wood flavours. Seriously good and very accessible wine that offers great value at this price”

95/100 (Huon Hooke, The Real Review)
“Very bright, deep, youthful purple/red colour. The aromas are outstandingly deep and bright and youthfully fresh; violets, red and blue fruits rocketing out of the glass, oak barely visible in the background. The wine is soft-textured and medium to full-bodied, elegant and pure, seamless and long. An utterly delicious cabernet blend.”

5 Stars, 96/100 (Sam Kim)
“Offering excellent structure and immense drinkability at the same time, it’s hugely charming and enticing. “

5 Stars (Michael Cooper)
“Awatea lives in the shadow of its more illustrious stablemate, Coleraine, but in its infancy is more open and expressive. Estategrown at Havelock North and in the Bridge Pā Triangle, and French oak-aged for 15 months, this deeply coloured red is sturdy, with concentrated blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, a hint of herbs and a rich, smooth finish. Best drinking 2024-plus. “

And how many years you wonder? This excellent ’21 vintage should cellar comfortably for 15-20 years.