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Red Wines

Hawke’s Bay is the largest contributor to the national vintage of Cabernet Merlot and Syrah categories of wine grapes in tonnes and producing hectares.

73% of NZ’s producing hectares in Cabernet Merlot categories & Syrah 78% of NZ’s vintage in Syrah 88% of NZ’s vintage in Cabernet Merlot categories (2009 NZWG Annual Report)

 Hawke's Bay Cabernet Merlot

Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Merlot wines are described as having “luscious ripe fruit flavours that acquire
complex structure and elegance with age”. The region’s red wine blends show true synergy in creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominant blended wines are championed in Hawke’s Bay although tend towards a higher component of Merlot. Assemblage choices are dependent on individual vineyard sites and conditions. Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Merlot wines combine the best of Old World structure and the New World purity of fruit flavour.

“What better flavour – unexpected, savoury, sveltely textured – to begin with than that expressed by merlot and cabernet sauvignon from Hawke’s Bay… Bordeaux grapes in Hawke’s Bay produce provocative results”

MALCOLM GLUCK, THE GUARDIAN, APRIL 2002

Hawke's Bay Syrah

Hawke’s Bay Syrah is produced in a classic European style and described as “dark, weighty, intensely varietal with plum, fresh raspberry and black pepper flavours”.

“Hawke’s Bay Syrah is one of the most exciting wine styles I’ve tasted in the past five years”

TIM ATKIN, THE OBSERVER, FEBRUARY 2007

Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir

Hawke’s Bay table Pinot Noir plantings reach into cooler more elevated sites within the region as opposed to sparkling Pinot Noir which comprises 8% of the annual regional vintage.

 

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