Description
Awatea has long been known as the “little brother” to Te Mata’s legendary Coleraine, but it’s really a serious wine in its own right, and some of the smartest buying in New Zealand wine.
First made back in the early 1980s, it’s a blend built around Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (with a bit of Franc usually in the mix), and every vintage shows just how well these Bordeaux varieties thrive in Hawke’s Bay.
The 2023 release comes off a strong vintage, with steady ripening through summer giving fruit that was both ripe and balanced. The winemaking sticks to the Te Mata blueprint – hand-picking, small-batch ferments and careful aging in French oak – delivering a wine that combines immediate drinkability with the structure to improve over time.
What makes Awatea special is the way it balances generosity and finesse. It’s approachable now, showing off its bright fruit and savoury edge, but has the tannin and acidity to reward a decade or more in the cellar. For those who love Coleraine but want something more affordable (and a little earlier drinking), this is the perfect fit.
96 points
"It is a magnificent wine and a tremendous value."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews
Has the right acid & tannin that is heaven to my palate
Serious red blend. Sensational black fruit, great depth and length.
The 'little brother' to Coleraine, maybe, however an excellent example of Kiwi Cab Merlot at a fair price! Te Mata really is where this classic NZ blend really shines...
Simply best value Cab Blend at this price. Stock up when you can!
The wine was very floral and charming on the nose, however the body was very tense and did let much go. The wine could be too young, or might need several hours in the decanter
| Price Bracket | $41 to $50 |
| Type | Red |
| Body | Full Bodied |
| Variety | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Variety Style | ["Cabernet Blends"] |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Hawkes Bay |
| Feature |
High Score Iconic |
| Reviewed By |
The Wine Advocate The Wine Front Halliday Wine Companion |
| Critic Score |
96 94 |
| Alcohol | 13.5% |
| Size | 750ml |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Closure | DIAM Cork |
Te Mata Estate
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Common Questions
Delivery is free on orders of $199 or more.
For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.
We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.
Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.
No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.
Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.
We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.
To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you.
If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.
Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.
Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.
No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.
No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.
Most wine retailers list at a single-bottle price and then discount 10–15% when you buy six or twelve. We've taken the opposite approach. Since the overwhelming majority of our orders are already 6 bottles or more, our list price is set for the case buyer from the start. There's no inflated single-bottle price to discount down from.
What that means for you:
- One price, same for everyone — no minimum to hit to unlock the best rate
- No mixed-six gymnastics to qualify for a discount
- Our single-bottle price is typically at or below a traditional retailer's by-the-dozen rate
Put simply: the box discount is already baked into the price.
**And if you find it cheaper elsewhere?** Let us know. If the same wine is available at a lower price at another retailer (including at their mixed-six or by-the-dozen rate) we're happy to match it.
If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.
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