91 Wine Enthusiast

"A top-flight Cab-Merlot from Hawkes Bay, Te Awa's 2007 is loaded with plum and cassis, dressed up by elegant oak-derived notes of vanilla and baking spices. It's full-bodied, lush and layered in texture, with a long velvety finish. So good now, the only question is how long it will last. Drink now-2015." 91 points Wine Enthusiast

VITICULTURE & VINFICATION:
""Te Awa Cabernet Merlot is the premium Bordeaux blend off our estate in 2007. Two blocks of Cabernet, one block of Merlot and our only block of Malbec have contributed to the cage of this wine. Each of these blocks is located on the typical free draining gravels of this site."

"Individual parcels of fruit were picked on successive cool mornings. The grapes were destemmed and tipped directly into five ton open fermenters, given a five day cold soak and allowed to warm up and ferment spontaneously with native yeasts. The young wine was then drawn off the skins and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. The parcels of fruit were then blended and bottled." -Winemaker

ESTATE:
"Established in 1992 by the Lawson Family, Te Awa is located in the renowned Gimblett Gravels wine region within Hawkes Bay. The Te Awa site was traditionally used for sheep grazing and other agricultural endeavors, but was built into a leading winery due to its unique soil consistency."

"With the advent of Te Awa, came a focus on Bordeaux styled wines that were representative of the regions climate and terroir. Due to a growth of Hawkes Bay as a lifestyle destination, Te Awa opened their now acclaimed restaurant in 1999 to further showcase its outstanding wines and the beauty of the area."

"Today, Te Awa is managed by Chief Winemaker, Ant Mackenzie, and his dedicated vineyard team, most of whom have worked on the land since the winery’s inception. Ant is also assisted by Cam McInnes, the former assistant winemaker at Dry River." -Winery