"100% barrel fermented with 11 months in oak. A blend with semillon (9%) and sauvignon gris (4%). An appealingly ethereal texture, with good weight and richness. Clean, crisp and bone-dry wine with concentrated nectarine, white peach, toast and subtle nut flavours" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Nov 2017

"If there was Kiwi wine aristocracy, Te Mata would be it. Nestled in the foothills of the Te Mata heritage zone, they make some of the best wines in the country. Independent, family-owned, exclusively Hawke's Bay, and committed to making premium wine on site." Cuisine Magazine, 2017

"Vibrant, elegant and attractively fragrant, the bouquet shows grapefruit, nectarine, lemon peel and almond characters with a faint herbal infusion. The palate is brilliantly focused and persistent, displaying impressive fruit weight and intensity, backed by wonderfully pitched acidity. The wine offers zesty fruit flavours with discreet oak influence, promising to evolve gracefully. At its best: now to 2026" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Feb 2018

Refreshing and elegant, Cape Crest ’16 is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc of distinct refinement. Pale, straw-coloured and with flecks of brilliant lime-green, this sauvignon blend has complexing aromas of gooseberry, fennel, grapefruit and red currants. Toasted coconut and textured spice from French oak development combines with guava, mango, concentrated citrus, white flowers and creamy, clover honey to give this moreish wine its unique level of weight, depth and length.

Since 1984, Cape Crest has developed an international following for its unique expression of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Barrel fermented, with a touch of semillon and sauvignon gris, it is concentrated and complex with toast, citrus blossom, pear and stonefruit characters. Cape Crest and its gannet symbol refer to Cape Kidnappers, the southern point of Hawke Bay, home to the world’s largest mainland colony of these remarkable marine birds.

The fully ripe grapes for Cape Crest ’16 were hand harvested from individual plots within Te Mata Estate’s vineyards between 15 and 21 March 2016. The separate parcels were each destemmed and lightly crushed, then cooled before a brief period of skin contact. Following pressing and cold-settling, they were run to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak barrels for fermentation. The resulting wines were aged on lees, with regular stirring, for a further nine months before blending in January 2017. The blend was returned to tank for further maturation on fine lees, before fining and bottling. Cape Crest ’16 is a blend of 87% sauvignon blanc, 9% semillon and 4% sauvignon gris.