Four Decades of Cabernet Magic
There are wines that introduce a region, and there are wines that define one. Since its first vintage in 1982, Te Mata Estate’s Awatea Cabernet Merlot has played a special role in showing the world what Hawke’s Bay can achieve with Bordeaux varieties. Elegant, complex and unmistakably Te Mata, Awatea has become one of New Zealand’s most admired Cabernet blends, a wine that combines classic structure with the generosity and warmth of its Hawke’s Bay home.
Named after the famous New Zealand passenger liner SS Awatea, meaning “Eye of the Dawn”, the wine has always represented a vision of what was possible for New Zealand red wine. Alongside Coleraine, Te Mata’s iconic flagship Cabernet blend, Awatea helped establish a new benchmark for fine red wine in Aotearoa. Four decades later, it remains a beautiful expression of the estate’s commitment to place, precision and the timeless appeal of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
For those discovering Awatea for the first time, the attraction is immediately clear. It is a wine of balance and refinement, with rich aromas of blackcurrant, plum and dark berries layered with violet, cedar, tobacco and subtle spice. On the palate, silky tannins, fresh acidity and fine structure create a wine that feels both generous and elegant, a modern Hawke’s Bay interpretation of classic Bordeaux. Michael Cooper has described Awatea as more immediately seductive and perfumed in its youth than Coleraine, while still having the ability to mature gracefully over many years.
Recent vintages have continued to receive outstanding recognition from critics around the world. The 2021 Awatea Cabernet Merlot was awarded 97 points by Sam Kim of Wine Orbit, who praised its harmony, rich texture, silky tannins and flavours of blackcurrant, mulberry, tobacco and cedar. Huon Hooke awarded the same vintage 95 points, highlighting its precision, refinement and vibrant freshness, while Gary Walsh described its “precision and definition” and its long, elegant finish. Wine lovers have also embraced Awatea as a benchmark value wine in the Te Mata stable, offering a glimpse of the estate’s celebrated Bordeaux inspired style in a more approachable and accessible form.
Today, Awatea remains a wine for both celebration and discovery: a bottle to open with a great meal, or to place in the cellar and watch evolve. It is a reminder that great Cabernet is not limited to Bordeaux or the famous regions of the northern hemisphere. From the hills of Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay, Te Mata Estate continues to craft a wine with history, character and a sense of place, a true New Zealand classic entering its next chapter.
