Te Mata
Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc, Hawke’s Bay
Since 1984, Cape Crest has developed an international following for it’s unique expression of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel fermented, with a touch of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris, it is concentrated and compex with toast, citrus blossom, pear and stonefruit characters. Cape Crest and its gannet symbol refer to Cape Kidnappers, the southern point of Hawke Bay, home to the world’s largest mainland colony of these remarkable marine birds.
Vintage Factsheets
Cape Crest fruit is hand harvested from individual plots within Te Mata Estate’s vineyards across the Dartmoor Valley, Havelock Hills and Bridge PA Triangle sub-regions of Hawke's Bay.
Woodthorpe Terraces is Te Mata Estate's vineyard in the Dartmoor Valley and is nestled between sheltering hills on elevated, free-draining, north-facing terraces. The soils, which were left behind as the Tutaekuri River eroded its path through the hills to the sea, are mainly alluvial stone, clay and sandy loam. Vineyard planting on this site began in 1994 and today Woodthorpe Terraces has 75 hectares under vine. Woodthorpe Terraces has the estate’s largest plantings of Sauvignon Blanc.
The Bridge Pa Triangle has summer temperatures that are among the hottest in Hawke’s Bay. This long, dry heat, combined with free-draining silt loam over a red, mineral gravel base, makes this a superb site.
First planted in 1892, the Havelock Hills are the heart of Te Mata Estate’s wine production and home to the winery. Te Mata Estate has five sites on these free draining, north-facing slopes, including the 1892 vineyard – one of New Zealand’s oldest vineyards, originally called the Hill Block. Soils to the east of the property are predominantly sandy loam over a sandstone base. Towards the west are sandy loam over clay and silica. The distinctive terrain lies at the intersections of two tectonic plates, which has paved the landscape of steep and gentle sloping terraces, ideal for grape-growing.
- Region
- Hawke's Bay
- Appellation
- Hawke's Bay
- Varietal Composition
- Sauvignon Blanc; Semillon, Sauvignon Gris
- Aging
- The separate parcels were each destemmed and lightly crushed, then cooled before a brief period of skin contact. Following pressing and cold-settling, they were run to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak barrels for fermentation. The resulting wines were aged on lees, with regular stirring, for a further 11 months.
- Alcohol
- 13%
Radiating a mesmerizing white-gold hue, Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc bursts with its signature perfume – vibrant concentrated nectarine, grapefruit and lime zest with lemongrass, guava and subtle toast notes. The palate broadens into ripe stone fruit and herbal seasoning, developing remarkable richness. A balanced weight and crystalline acidity add to the immense fruit concentration and long savory, saline finish. An embodiment of excellence.
Wine Advocate
95 Points
2022
“The 2022 Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc is composed and tight. It's such a pretty wine. In terms of its ilk, it aligns perhaps with the 2011. I like it so much. This is an elegant and quiet iteration of this wine, with flowering herbs, crushed shells, chalk, a hint of aniseed and crushed nuts. It's a gorgeous wine with a long future in front of it. Interestingly, while I believe this will age gracefully, it is such a controlled and cool wine now that I would suggest that drinking it at any interval would allow it to show its pedigree. Super. The wines are better at the younger end of this vertical than the beginning, which is a great thing for the winery—and an even better thing for us, the drinkers.”
— Erin Larkin, 2024
