Hawke's Bay

Winery's notes...

A stylish Hawke's Bay blend that has chartered our way, a wine with a strong character and a strong following. Blended from the best blocks from our estate, we use a variety of clones, each block fermented then matured in oak barrels as stand alone parcels. After 12 months initial maturation, each barrel was tasted and scored with only the best making the cut for The Navigator. Softly concentrated with deep and dense aromas of plush red fruits, cocoa, spice and cedar, the palate is medium-full bodied with rich and succulent flavours. 

The long finish and fine tannins make this an ideal accompaniment for your beef dishes, richly flavoured foods and cheeses. 

Merlot 34%, Cabernet Sauvignon 31%, Cabernet Franc 19%, Malbec 16%

This distinguished Cabernet Merlot is made from ultra-premium grapes (73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc) grown on low-yielding vines in the Mere Road Vineyard, situated in the celebrated stony soils of the Gimblett Gravels district in Hawkes Bay. Medium to full bodied, it bursts with notes of black fruits, plum, chocolate, and liquorice intertwined with beautifully refined tannins, yielding a distinguished silky smooth wine.

The 2018 Grand Amateur Merchant is a fresh, cool climate red made exclusively from one of Hawkes Bays most exciting Cabernet Franc vineyards - The Howell Family Vineyard. In the tradition of the finest barrel aged Loire Cabernet Francs where Sam worked for 6 years, this fresh, elegant and perfumed red will reward patient wine lovers for 8-9 years from the vintage. Blueberries, raspberries, Damson plums, dried thyme and background cedar notes from oak ageing.

This is a juicy, medium-bodied Syrah. French oak imparts gentle vanilla and spice characteristics. On the nose, floral and dark fruit notes are balanced with a peppery touch. The palate is smooth and fruity, with balanced tannins and a lingering finish.

This is a beautifully balanced wine that offers aromas of cherry, dark plum and fragrant plum blossom on the nose. The palate is velvet textured with flavours of blackberry, plum, complex spice and white pepper, balanced by fine grained tannins, and a hint of smoky oak.

Food matches include wild pork, red meats and game dishes.

Fiano's established home is Campania in Southwest Italy, where great examples
are revered for style somewhere between a stunning Chardonnay and a dry
Riesling. Compared to other grapes, it is low-yielding and thus often overlooked by
commercial wineries. However it is well worth the work, showing delicate floral and
spice aromas that mellow and honey over time, giving way to great texture and impressive acidity.

This noble variety seems to have found its home at the stunning Howell Family vineyard, off Maraekakaho Road in Bridge Pa – one of a handful of Fiano plantings in New Zealand.
White floral, stonefruit, lemon zest and hint of brioche on the nose. On the palate these flavours merge with a touch of marmalade and cedar. A rich, textured, ripe wine with a zesty fresh finish. 900 bottle made.

Hand harvested and whole bunch pressed into old oak and fermented with indigenous yeast before spending 14 months in barrel on the lees. This is round and unctuous as befitting similarly composed wines from the Rhone Valley with aromas and flavours of quince, jasmine peach and citrus. Will pair well with Asian cuisine. 

This is an elegant Chardonnay with a medium-full body and characteristics of stone-fruit and malo-lactic fermentation. The nose offers rock-melon and peach notes with a touch of oaky vanilla. The palate is juicy and ripe, with a creamy texture and a good dose of acidity.

A blend of old & new world wine-making using exceptional fruit from Clearview?s oldest Mendoza Chardonnay vines. This is their ultra-premium Chardonnay. Endeavour is a lush, rich and opulent wine with great complexity and length.

Elspeth is Mills Reef?s top tier range, produced from their vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels, Hawke?s Bay. This Syrah is intensely concentrated and complex, displaying luscious boysenberry, white pepper spice and liquorice notes.

Patsy was the favourite aunt of winemaker Jenny Dobson, who made this wine as a tribute to her. We're big fans of the story as well as the wine, which is made from the  Cabernet Franc grape, which adds a touch of firm tannin to its finish, accentuating the dry style and adding grip and structure. 

This tasty little numberh drinks well on its own but also tastes great with salmon and fresh summer salads. Chill lightly and enjoy. 

Soft plush Merlot with the black olive flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon?s impressive structure both add great balance to this powerful wine from Clearview Estate in Hawke?s Bay. Flavours here are dark and brooding black olives, dried woody thyme with all its aromatic intensity, supported by the velvety smoothness of Malbec, which makes up a small portion of this wine. 

This is a wine that drinks well now and can age to evolve even more impressive flavours for up to 10 years. 

About Clearview Estate

Clearview Estate is one of oldest, most well established wineries in Hawke's Bay and is situated on the Te Awanga Coast, south of Napier. It's a great place to visit for tastings at the cellar door as well as lunch in the dappled shade of the established courtyard area. The winery was founded by Tim Turvey, winemaker and co-owner. The current winemaker is the multi talented Matt Kirby.

Elspeth represents their top tier of wines produced from their own vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay. The fruit is hand-picked and only under the Elspeth label when fruit is of exceptional quality. Their winemaking team shares the philosophy of a hands-on, no expense spared approach to produce these fine award-winning wines. The range is limited to Chardonnay, Syrah and Bordeaux style reds. The Elspeth tier is named in honour and memory of their winemaker Grandmother, Elspeth Preston.

source - Mills Reef

Te Mata Awatea is often described as a baby Coleraine and is one of Hawke's Bay's most iconic red wines. First made in 1982 as a classic blend of Bordeaux red grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Proportions vary each year and the wine was declassified in 2012 due to a cool vintage and the need to separate the two wines, Coleraine and Awatea. Both are excellent and both deliver robust classic reds for drinking now or cellaring for the long term. Awatea delivers excellent value for money for its consistently outstanding quality, great balance of dry spicy flavours and dark fruit forward approachability. 

Te Mata Estate is Hawke's Bay's oldest winery building and one of its oldest wineries; a family owned company with an eye on producing great New Zealand wines modelled on and inspired by the world's classic great wines.

Great Esk Valley blend from the great 2020 vintage and made entirely from grapes grown on stony soils of Gimblett Gravels. This wine is one of the top 12 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection wines for 2020. It's a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, fermented in open top concrete fermenters and hand plunged. Deeply coloured and complex with jammy and plummy notes.

The Malbec provides smoothness and depth with soft plummy flavours from the Merlot and structure from the Cabernet.

This top drop drinks well now and will also age well for seven to eight years.