Te Mata Awatea Cab Merlot 2023

Te Mata's super second wine to Coleraine, Awatea is where the barrels that don't quite have the tannin structure or are too fruit forward to make the Grand Vin end up.  As you'd expect this is still an exceptional wine, just a little more approachable in its youth than its big brother.

Critics thoughts -  This wine is thrilling: dusty cassis, bramble, raspberry pip, blood/iodine, sweet tobacco, raw cocoa, violet perfume, tarragon and fennel and a hint of hazelnut/nutmeg. This will evolve beautifully in bottle. I love it. It is a magnificent wine and a tremendous value.  96 points Erin Larkin Wine Advocate