# Hawke's Bay wine region: Syrah, Bordeaux blends, vintages and the wineries to know

> Your guide to the Hawke's Bay wine region: Syrah, Merlot blends, Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels, top vintages and producers, and how to find your style.

Wine regions · October 16, 2026 · 8 min read  
Written by Marcus Henningsson (Head Sommelier) · Reviewed by Marcus Henningsson (Head Sommelier)

You're at a dinner party and someone announces, with total confidence, that New Zealand "only really does Sauvignon Blanc". The host quietly pours a glass of dark, peppery red. It's elegant, spicy and nothing like what you'd expect from a country famous for zesty whites. The label says Hawke's Bay, and the conversation takes a turn.

This guide to the Hawke's Bay wine region covers where it is, which grapes it grows, how it became New Zealand's oldest wine region, what its sunshine and gravel soils do to the wine, and which producers and vintages are worth knowing. By the end you'll understand why Hawke's Bay is the country's home of serious reds and rich Chardonnay, and which of its styles you're likely to enjoy.

## Where is the Hawke's Bay wine region?

Hawke's Bay sits on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, with most vineyards on the plains and low hills around the cities of Napier and Hastings. It is New Zealand's oldest wine region and its second largest after Marlborough, with more than 100 wineries ranging from small family producers to big national names.

Because four rivers have shaped the landscape, the region is incredibly varied. The main areas you'll see mentioned are:

- **Gimblett Gravels** — around 800 hectares defined by a specific stony soil on an old riverbed, famous for Syrah and Bordeaux-style reds
- **Bridge Pa Triangle** — next door, with some of the oldest, least fertile soils on the plains and another source of powerful reds
- **Coastal areas** — Te Awanga and Bay View, cooled by sea breezes and known for Chardonnay and earlier-ripening reds
- **Hillsides** — including the Havelock North hills around Te Mata Peak
- **Central Hawke's Bay** — inland and higher, up to around 300 metres, suited to cooler-climate whites and Pinot Noir

## Which grapes grow in Hawke's Bay?

Hawke's Bay grows a wider range than most New Zealand regions. **Chardonnay** and **Sauvignon Blanc** are the most planted grapes, with roughly equal areas. Hawke's Bay Chardonnay is typically full-bodied and rich, with peach, melon and citrus, balanced by fresh acidity.

**Merlot** is the most planted red, and together with **Cabernet Sauvignon** it forms the basis of the region's classic Bordeaux-style blends. **Syrah** covers a much smaller area but has become the grape many critics get most excited about here: perfumed, elegant and spicy rather than big and jammy. According to the regional wine body, around 90% of New Zealand's Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot comes from Hawke's Bay.

**Pinot Gris** and **Pinot Noir** fill out the picture. If you'd like a quick primer on these varieties, our guide to [the most common wine grapes](/articles/what-are-the-most-common-wine-grapes-a-simple-guide) is a good place to start.

## What is the history of Hawke's Bay wine?

Hawke's Bay's wine story began in 1851, when Marist missionaries planted vines. Their winery, Mission Estate, still operates and describes itself as New Zealand's oldest winery.

Commercial winemaking followed in the 1890s. Te Mata Estate dates from 1896, and the winery that became Church Road started in 1897. Vidal Estate extended planting to Hastings in 1905, and the winery now called Esk Valley began north of Napier in 1933.

The modern era took shape from the 1970s onwards. In 1974 the Buck and Morris families bought Te Mata Estate, and its Coleraine red blend, first made in 1982, became one of New Zealand's best-known red wines. In 1981 the first vines went into the Bridge Pa Triangle. Then came the Gimblett Gravels, a stony former riverbed once thought too dry and barren for anything useful. Pioneers such as Trinity Hill planted there in the early 1990s, and in 2001 local growers formally defined the area by its soil rather than by lines on a map, an unusual approach.

Hawke's Bay gained its official Geographical Indication in 2018 and was named one of the Great Wine Capitals of the World in 2023. That same year, Cyclone Gabrielle and heavy rain made the harvest extremely difficult.

## What is the climate and soil like in Hawke's Bay?

Hawke's Bay is one of New Zealand's sunniest regions, with a temperate climate. The Pacific Ocean tempers hot summers and stretches out the growing season, while the high country to the west shelters vineyards from wind. A long, settled autumn gives late-ripening grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah the time they need, which is unusual in a country better known for cool-climate wines.

There are risks. Frost can hit some inland sites, and cool, wet seasons cause problems, though free-draining soils help limit the damage.

Soil is where Hawke's Bay gets really interesting. Four rivers have laid down a patchwork of gravels, silts and clays:

- **Gimblett Gravels** — deep, free-draining stony soils suited to thick-skinned red grapes, giving bold reds with firm tannins
- **Bridge Pa Triangle** — old, low-fertility soils over volcanic pumice, giving powerful yet elegant wines
- **Coastal sites** — gravelly soils with strong sea influence
- **Central Hawke's Bay** — limestone hills and higher, cooler vineyards

## What wine styles does Hawke's Bay make?

Hawke's Bay makes more styles than any single label can suggest:

- **Bordeaux-style blends** — Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon based, with blackcurrant and black cherry and soft-to-firm tannins
- **Syrah** — perfumed and peppery, with ripe fruit, supple tannins and lingering spice
- **Chardonnay** — rich and full-bodied but balanced by fine acidity
- **Sauvignon Blanc** — riper and more tropical than South Island versions, with lower acidity
- **Pinot Gris** — aromatic and spicy, with good body
- **Pinot Noir** — from coastal and higher sites, used for both still and sparkling wine

### Is it Syrah or Shiraz?

It's the same grape. Hawke's Bay producers almost always use the French name, Syrah, partly to signal a cooler, more savoury style than the bold Shiraz of regions like the [Barossa Valley](/articles/barossa-valley-wine-region-guide). Our guide on [how to read a wine label](/articles/how-to-read-a-wine-label) explains other clues the label can give you about style.

## Who are the leading Hawke's Bay producers?

There are many excellent names in the region. These five are a reliable place to start:

- [**Mission Estate**](https://www.missionestate.co.nz) — making wine since 1851 and calling itself New Zealand's oldest winery.
- [**Te Mata Estate**](https://www.temata.co.nz) — a historic Havelock North winery owned by the Buck and Morris families since 1974, famous for Coleraine, first made in 1982.
- [**Church Road**](https://www.church-road.com) — with roots going back to 1897 and linked to pioneering winemaker Tom McDonald, whose name lives on in its TOM range.
- [**Trinity Hill**](https://www.trinityhill.com) — an early Gimblett Gravels pioneer, planting there in 1993, and known for its Homage Syrah.
- [**Craggy Range**](https://craggyrange.com) — founded in 1998 by Terry and Mary Peabody, with vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels and a winery beneath Te Mata Peak.

## Which Hawke's Bay vintages are the best?

Hawke's Bay's weather varies more than its sunny reputation suggests, so vintages matter, especially for reds. Here's a quick guide to notable recent years, based on regional reports and critics:

- **2013** — near-perfect; a long, warm summer, and often called one of the region's greatest years
- **2014** — another outstanding year that some growers rated alongside, or even above, 2013
- **2019** — excellent, with Merlot the highlight and very strong Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon
- **2023** — Cyclone Gabrielle and heavy rain made it extremely difficult; free-draining Gimblett Gravels sites fared best, giving elegant rather than powerful reds
- **2024** — a much smaller harvest than 2023
- **2025** — early, healthy ripening, with winemakers comparing its potential to 2013

Vintage reports are a general guide, and the producer matters as much as the year. Our article on [which wines improve with age](/articles/aging-wine-which-wines-improve-with-age-and-why) explains why top Hawke's Bay reds can benefit from time in the cellar.

## How can you find the Hawke's Bay wine you actually like?

Here's the honest part: knowing that 2013 was a superb year won't tell you whether you prefer a peppery Gimblett Gravels Syrah, a plush Merlot blend or a rich, toasty Chardonnay. That only comes from tasting and remembering. This is where Swirl helps. Scan the label of any Hawke's Bay wine you try, rate it and add a quick note, and Swirl builds a private taste profile around your palate rather than crowd scores. Over time it learns whether you lean towards savoury, spicy reds or fuller, fruitier styles, and recommends bottles to match.

## What this guide can't tell you

No guide can tell you what you'll enjoy. Vintage reports describe a whole region, and a Syrah from the Gimblett Gravels can taste very different from one grown on a coastal or hillside site in the same year. A famous name doesn't guarantee you'll like a wine either. If you want a contrast, try a Hawke's Bay wine alongside one from the [Marlborough wine region](/articles/marlborough-wine-region-guide). The only reliable way to know is to taste, note what you liked and compare.

## Ready to find your perfect Hawke's Bay wine?

Whether you're picking a red to surprise your friends or exploring New Zealand beyond Sauvignon Blanc, Swirl makes it simple:

**With Swirl you can:**

- Scan any Hawke's Bay label in seconds to see grape, region and style
- Rate the bottles you try and save your favourites
- Keep private tasting notes so you remember why you loved it
- Organise everything you've tried in My cellar
- Get personalised recommendations based on your own taste

[Download Swirl and discover the Hawke's Bay wine you'll love](https://link.swirlyourwines.com/XKNhvD)

Swirl is free on iOS and Android, with an optional Pro subscription.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Hawke's Bay known for?

Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, is known for the country's best Bordeaux-style red blends, elegant Syrah and rich Chardonnay. It is New Zealand's oldest wine region, with vines first planted in 1851, and its second largest. Around 90% of the country's Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot comes from here.

### What are the Gimblett Gravels?

The Gimblett Gravels is an area of around 800 hectares in Hawke's Bay, defined by its deep, stony soil on a former riverbed rather than by map boundaries. Once considered too arid for vines, it is now one of New Zealand's top red wine sites, known for concentrated Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with firm tannins.

### Is Hawke's Bay Syrah the same as Shiraz?

Yes, Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape. Hawke's Bay producers usually use the name Syrah because their wines tend to be more perfumed, peppery and elegant than the fuller, riper Shiraz of warmer Australian regions. Most are medium to full-bodied, with fresh acidity and spicy, savoury notes.

### What are the best recent Hawke's Bay vintages?

2013 is widely regarded as one of Hawke's Bay's greatest vintages, and 2014 was also outstanding. 2019 was excellent, especially for Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. 2023 was badly affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, while early reports suggest 2025 could rival 2013. The producer matters as much as the year.

## Sources

- [Hawke's Bay and Hawke's Bay regional factsheet — New Zealand Winegrowers](https://www.nzwine.com/en/regions/hawkesbay)
- [Sunny Hawke's Bay — Hawke's Bay Winegrowers](https://hawkesbaywine.co.nz/about/)
- [Hawke's Bay wine region — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawke%27s_Bay_wine_region)
- [New Zealand vintages — Jancis Robinson](https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/vintages/new-zealand)
- [Villa Maria 2019 vintage report and 2023 vintage report — Villa Maria / Hatch Mansfield](https://www.hatchmansfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Villa-Maria-2019-Vintage-Report.pdf)
- [Hawke's Bay vintners elated over "legendary" vintage — The Drinks Business](https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/03/hawkes-bay-vintners-elated-over-legendary-vintage/)
- [Our history — Mission Estate](https://www.missionestate.co.nz/pages/about-us)
- [Coleraine: a new era — Te Mata Estate](https://www.temata.co.nz/coleraine-a-new-era/)
- [Our legacy — Craggy Range](https://craggyrange.com/about-us/)
- [Trinity Hill and Church Road — New Zealand Winegrowers](https://www.nzwine.com/en/winery/trinity-hill)
- [Trinity Hill — Wine with Seth](https://www.winewithseth.com/winewiki/trinity-hill/)
- [Swirl — Swirl official site](https://www.swirlyourwines.com)

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