Hawke's Bay Wine Region Guide

New Zealand’s Red Wine Heartland

Hawke’s Bay, located on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, is the country’s oldest wine region and its most important for full-bodied red wines. While New Zealand is often associated with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir, Hawke’s Bay tells a different story — one of warm-climate viticulture, Bordeaux-style blends, elegant Syrah, and a terroir called Gimblett Gravels that has become one of the most exciting vineyard sites in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Gimblett Gravels

The Gimblett Gravels is a defined 800-hectare area of deep, free-draining alluvial gravels left by the Ngaruroro River when it changed course after a devastating flood in 1867. These warm, stony soils absorb and radiate heat, creating a mesoclimate significantly warmer than surrounding areas. The result is fully ripe Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah with concentration, structure, and complexity that few other New Zealand sites can match.

Bordeaux-Style Blends

Hawke’s Bay has established itself as New Zealand’s answer to Bordeaux. The region’s top producers craft Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends of genuine depth:

• Te Mata Coleraine - One of New Zealand’s most iconic wines, a Cabernet Merlot blend with decades of pedigree
• Craggy Range Te Kahu - Gimblett Gravels fruit showcasing elegance and structure
• Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels - Consistently excellent, demonstrating the terroir’s potential
• Villa Maria Reserve - Benchmark quality from New Zealand’s largest family-owned winery

Syrah: The Rising Star

Hawke’s Bay Syrah has emerged as arguably New Zealand’s most exciting red wine category. The variety finds ideal conditions in the Gimblett Gravels, producing wines reminiscent of Northern Rhone Syrah — peppery, perfumed, with dark fruit and fine tannins — but with a distinctive New Zealand brightness and purity. Producers like Craggy Range, Trinity Hill, and Te Mata have demonstrated that Hawke’s Bay Syrah can compete with the best in the world.

Chardonnay and White Wines

Hawke’s Bay’s warm maritime climate also produces outstanding Chardonnay, typically in a richer, more textured style than Marlborough. The best examples show stone fruit, citrus, and subtle oak influence with a long, balanced finish. The region also produces excellent Viognier and aromatic whites from cooler sub-regions.

Why Hawke’s Bay Matters for Wine Lovers

Hawke’s Bay demonstrates New Zealand’s range beyond cool-climate whites and Pinot Noir. The Gimblett Gravels terroir produces reds of genuine international stature, while the region’s diversity across varieties and styles makes it one of the most complete in the Southern Hemisphere.

Explore Hawke’s Bay with Sommo

Use the Sommo app to scan Hawke’s Bay wines and instantly learn about the terroir, vintage, and producer. Build your knowledge of this essential wine region one bottle at a time.