Hawke's Bay
New Zealand's home of structured still reds — WineFortune tracks one wine here, from the Gimblett Gravels
- Producers
- 1
- Wines tracked
- 1
- Median 1y
- —
- In our shop
- 0
Hawke's Bay is one of New Zealand's most established wine regions, on the east coast of the North Island, and the country's reference point for structured still red wine. WineFortune currently tracks one still red wine from one producer here, grown in the Gimblett Gravels sub-region.
The region's reds rest on the Bordeaux varieties — Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc — alongside Syrah. The Gimblett Gravels sit on an old riverbed whose deep, free-draining gravels store daytime warmth and ripen these grapes fully in a climate that is otherwise temperate and maritime, with long, dry autumns.
The critics' aggregate for the wine WineFortune tracks rests on a single review, scoring 94 on the hundred-point scale, with a suggested drinking window from 2022 to 2026. No WineFortune index median is published for Hawke's Bay yet, as no wine from the region is currently indexed. The WineFortune Premium Selection holds one vintage from this region.
Facts
- Key grapes
- Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah
- Style
- Still red
- Climate
- Temperate maritime, long dry autumns
- Sub-region
- Gimblett Gravels
- Critics' score
- 94/100, from one review
- Drinking window
- 2022–2026
Producers
By the 90-day WineFortune index medianMedians are the 90-day WineFortune index per 75cl, ex VAT, built from WineFortune trades and listings. Wines without a trade or listing are tracked but not indexed.
Wines from Hawke's Bay
Questions
What wines is Hawke's Bay known for?
Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's leading region for structured still reds: Bordeaux-style blends built on Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and increasingly Syrah. WineFortune currently tracks one still red wine from one producer here, from the Gimblett Gravels sub-region.
What is the Gimblett Gravels?
The Gimblett Gravels is a sub-region of Hawke's Bay set on an old riverbed. Its deep, stony, free-draining gravel soils absorb daytime heat and give the extra ripeness that Bordeaux varieties and Syrah need in an otherwise temperate maritime climate. It is widely regarded as the source of the region's finest reds.
When should Hawke's Bay reds be drunk?
For the wine WineFortune tracks in Hawke's Bay, the critics' suggested drinking window runs from 2022 to 2026, based on one review. Well-made Gimblett Gravels reds are generally built to hold in the cellar rather than for immediate drinking.
Is there a WineFortune price index for Hawke's Bay?
Not yet. The WineFortune index median per 75 cl bottle is built from WineFortune's own trades and listings over 90 days, and no wine from Hawke's Bay is currently indexed, so no median is published for the region.