Matariki Festival

Matariki brings a month of celebration of New Zealand.

The month of May / June in New Zealand is a time of much festivity as New Zealanders celebrate the rising of the constellation, Matariki, otherwise known as Pleiades, Seven Sisters or Subaru. It is seen as a chance to welcome the new beginnings that are symbolised by the stars and June is becoming widely known as the Maori New Year. Celebrations get underway at the end of May at Matariki Wines .

Dinner in the Barrel Hall

Charity Wine Auction 2009

This icon event supporting Cranford Hospice is a not to be missed event. There are wonderful wines available for auction with this years Matariki auction lot being a 2007 Quintology with a wonderful piece of art by the very talented Ema Scott.

2007 Double Magnum Quintology
Accompanied by Sculptures by Ema Scott of Haumoana
- HonoursThe Source, Acknowledges The Past, Advances The New and Celebrates The Present

Very soon we will post a picture of the 2009 Matariki Auction Lot showing why you not only get this wonderful wine from a great vintage but art to be enjoyed into the future.

Charity Wine Auction 2008

A Double Magnum of the wonderful 2005 Special Selection Syrah encased in an Emma Scott stone sculpture. Not only do you enjoy a stunning wine but you get a wonderful piece of art .

This Koru Tuturu Sculpture by Ema Scott symbolises the unfolding of life's force. An energetic whorl ascends from the firm foundations creating a hollow core; a womb; where new life has protection in order to grow. In this position we place and exalt Matariki's 2005 Special Selection Syrah for you appreciation.

Another successful Charity Wine Auction Event with Lot 19 from Matariki Wines achieveing a stunning $5000 for Cranford Hospice

More details available from www.winehawkesbay.co.nz

The Quintology Ethos

The 2005 Quintology was released during the Matariki month of June in 2009.

Check out the following awards already achieved

2005 eRobertParker.com 90 - 95 points 2008 Neal Martin
2005 Winestate Magazine 5 stars July/August issue 2009

Quintology is created to reflect the essence of what the Gimblett Gravels is about. It also reflects Matariki's commitment to the region and that harmonious expression of a combination of natural and human factors which Terroir driven wines best represent. Hence Quintology is a blend not only of the five varieties which comprise it, but of the fullest range of the many elements which go into the making of it.

Photo's from Harvest Hawkes Bay 2009

Saturday

We TASTED award winning Matariki wines - featuring current wines and a selection of older vintages. Tasted our flagship Quintology through the years to 2007 (2007 directly from the barrel)

LIVE MUSIC all afternoon by the amazingly talented acoustic duo, PayDay consisting of Alec Withers (Devils Elbow) and Paul Lowe (Blvd Nights).

Sunday

BUBBLES, BRUNCH and LIVE MUSIC - We slid into Sunday with a hearty brunch, a glass of bubbles and great live music by Rothko

FREE Music all day-The best of Hawkes Bay music in conjunction with the HB Jazz Club featuring Rothko, Men in Black amd the Dave Atkin Group

New releases in the Cellar Door

(Open every day from 10am - 5pm)

Matariki 2007 Pinot Noir

All the different clones of Pinot Noir were hand picked separately and kept separate until blending. The grapes were gently destemed into fermentation vessels. Some of the batches were cold soaked for 7-10 days after which the vessels were inoculated with a specially selected Burgundy yeast. Fermentation temperature peaked at 30C and lasted 7 days before being traditionally pressed through a Basket Press. Malo-lactic fermentation was carried out in barriques and the wine was matured in barrels for 9 months prior to bottling.

Colour: Deep cherry red.
Aroma: Attractive bouquet showing lifted floral and damson plum with subtle integrated oak characters.
Palate: This wine is a testament to the careful attention in the vineyard and the gentle handling in the winery. Succulent ripe cherry, spice and gamey notes combine to make a complex and beautifully balanced Pinot Noir. Cellaring This wine is ready to be opened now but will also improve with 3-4 years development in the bottle.

Matariki 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

The first of our 2007 Reds from this exceptional Vintage

After being harvested the fruit was destemmed and gently crushed in to tanks for fermentation. Each batch was kept separate according to clone, block, pruning method, ripeness etc. The must was then inoculated with selected yeasts and fermentation lasted for 7-10 days, peaking at about 28-30°C. The ferments were gently turned over 3 times per day during the height of fermentation. Post fermentation some batches were left on skins to continue extracting flavour and tannin while other batches were pressed off after fermentation.
The batches went through malolactic either in tank or barrel and, once racked, were sulphured and then transferred to barrels for ageing. Maturation in oak was for approximately 21 months before the wine was bottled it was lightly egg white fined and filtered.

A deep ruby red wine with purple hues. The wine displays intense flavours and aromas of ripe black plums, chocolate and spice. A beautifully balanced wine displaying supple tannins and seamlessly integrated French oak.

Check out our complete range here