Te MataEstate Gamay Noir, Hawke’s Bay

Te Mata

Estate Gamay Noir, Hawke’s Bay

In 1995, Te Mata Estate introduced to New Zealand a superior selection of Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, the grape variety of the best wines of France’s Beaujolais region. This single vineyard, single varietal wine is sourced exclusively from Te Mata’s Woodthorpe Terraces vineyard. The estate wines represent the best qualities of their variety, vintage, and Hawke’s Bay origin.

Vintage Factsheets

2024 2022

The Estate Gamay Noir is a single vineyard wine from Te Mata Estate’s Woodthorpe Terraces vineyard. Woodthorpe Terraces is nestled between sheltering hills on elevated, freedraining, north-facing terraces in Hawke’s Bay Dartmoor Valley. 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 began in 1994 and today Woodthorpe Terraces has 75 hectares under vine, planted to number of varietals and is the winery’s sole source for Gamay Noir.

Region: Hawke's Bay

Appellation: Hawke's Bay

Varietal Composition: Gamay Noir

Aging: The unique ‘maceration carbonique’ fermentation, which enhances the fruit and floral aromas of the wine, was used for 60% of the grapes. The other 40% received a traditional, warm, red wine fermentation. The resulting wines completed their malolactic fermentation and were matured for nine weeks in seasoned French oak barrels, before blending and bottling.

Alcohol: 13%

The Estate Gamay Noir is a deep candy red, bursting with ripe red fruit appeal and laden with complexity. On the nose it’s all cherry, strawberry and ripe, fresh raspberry with notes of marzipan, cinnamon and liquorice. There’s a lush French vanilla creaminess on the palate, with length, a little dryness, and a splash of sweet- red-fruit acidity. This structure, and the fine-grained tannins add further dimension to the juicy red fruit and spice.