Te Mata Estate Merlot/Cabernets Estate Vineyards 2019

Dark ruby with a bright purple edge, Estate Vineyards Merlot/Cabernets ’19 has ripe raspberry and blackberry on the nose and a palate that unfolds with Black Doris plum, cherry syrup, mint and cocoa-powder. Brambly, ripe, cabernet fruit sits atop soft, savoury tannins. Classically inviting, Estate Vineyards Merlot/Cabernets ’19 is complex and instantly-appealing at the same time.

Te Mata Estate owned vineyards in Hawkes Bay from the folloiwng sub-regions - Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa Triangle, Dartmoor Valley and Havelock Hills.

The grapes for Estate Vineyards Merlot/Cabernets ’19 were harvested between 26 March and 11 April 2019 from Te Mata Estate’s own vineyards in the Bridge Pa Triangle, Dartmoor, Havelock Hills and Gimblett sub-regions of Hawke’s Bay.

The individual parcels of each variety, from each plot, were de-stemmed before a traditional warm fermentation, followed by extended maceration on skins. The resulting wines were pressed, returned to tank for malolactic fermentation, then run off to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak barrels for nine months’ maturation before blending. The wines were regularly topped and racked, throughout maturation, blended and traditionally egg-white fined before bottling. The final blend is 44 % Merlot, 36 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 20 % Cabernet Franc.