Te Mata wines

Te Mata Estate was established in 1919 although wine had been produced there since 1896. It has the combination of the best vineyards in Hawkes Bay, using 3 different vineyards to produce the finest fruit and some of the finest wine in New Zealand. The 3 different areas used are:

• The Havelock Hills where there are 5 individual vineyards with a total of 15ha.

• Woodthorpe Terraces with a total of 75ha.

• Bridge Pa Triangle where 2 vineyards offer 15ha each.

The different areas each offer something different and unique to the wines produced there. However, the one constant is that they all produce the highest quality wines around.

Production methods follow the premise of minimal intervention produces the best results. Hand pruning, harvesting, and sorting ensures only the best and ripest fruit is used in any of the Te Mata wines. Grapes are often chilled prior to gentle pressing, depending on which wine is being made.

349 Te Mata Road

Havelock North 4294

New Zealand

The Buck family

The area is steeped in legend with the name Te Mata coming from a legendary giant that fell in love with a local tribe leader's daughter. Hundreds of years ago, tribal wars between the people of theHeretaunga Plains were under constant threat from the coaster tribes from Waimarama. At a tribal meeting, a wise woman said“The ways of a woman can sometimes overcome the effects of darkness.” The result of this was that an agreement was made for the beautiful daughter of the chief, Hinerakau, would seduce the chief of the Waimarama and change is thoughts from war to peace. The plan was successful but for the fact that fell in love with Te Mata. The people of Heretaunga, driven by the need for revenge, demanded that Te Mata prove his love by completing an impossible task of biting his way through the hills to the coast to enable the people of Heretaunga to reach the coast more easily. Te Mata took on the task and died proving his love for Hinerakau - and today his half accomplished work can be seen in the hills behind Havelock North in what is now known as ‘The Gap'. The legend continues and it is said that the ridgeline of Te Mata Peak is where the body of Te Mata lies. Grieving at Te Mata's death, Hinerakau leapt to her death after first placing a blue cloak over Te Mata. Where her body struck the earth a gully is said to have formed.