Current release tasting of Awaroa wines March 2026

https://www.awaroa.co.nz/

Waiheke Road Rose 2024 - Made with Merlot, Balanced and fresh, lively with red berry fruits, plum and a light spice quality. Well made and ready. 90 Points - Premium RRP $30.00

Waiheke Road Pinot Gris 2025 - Only 600 bottles of 2025 made. Some ageing in old puncheons. Really nice nose, enticing with spice, white fleshed fruits and some barrel ageing qualities - complexity. Just dry, some tautness and crunch, lees and well made. A VG wine. 93 Points - Excellent RRP $50.00

Waiheke Road Chardonnay Reserve 2023. This is a wine that does not rely on new oak, fact, 3rd fill barrels used for complexity and breadth with some gentle development. A leesy complexity, spice and mineral. Plenty of fresh white fleshed stone fruits. Medium+ weighted, dry and leesy, medium+ abv. I like the texture and length, a decent level of complexity and finish. Well made. 92 Points - Premium RRP $49.00

Waiheke Road Cabernet Franc 2023: 90% CF, with 3% Malbec & 7% Merlot. Ripe and fruity with a core of red berry fruits and fruit spice layers, the malbec has a voice on the nose and palate with a milk chocolate and raspberry fruits quality. The merlot adds softness. Backbone of CF with acidity and tension, dried herb. Well made and age well. 93 points - Excellent RRP $45.00.

Waiheke Road Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot & Cabernet Sauvignon 2022. Great colour and power bouquet, dark berries and lots of plum then black currant and wood spices, 30% new wood, (a splash of American through the range). Near full-bodied, lots of fruit and wood spices, some lees and acid tension. A young wine that will age well. A food wine too. Firm tannins and plenty of acidity and bite. Well made, long dry finish. 93 Points - Excellent RRP $60.00

Awaroa Redemption Reserve red blend 2024. CS 65%, Mer/Mlbc/PV. 50% new oak. Only 500 bottles produced: Dark berries and velvet red plum skin, some graphite and greywacke stone soils. Red berries and plums, earthy and fresh, tense and youthful. I like the palate squeeze. A wine for the cellar or a specific food match. Polished tannins, big oak without question, but done well. Lengthy and will age well. 94 Points - Excellent $150.00

Awaroa The Dan Syrah/Cab 2023. 65% Syrah, Mer/Mlbc/ CS 2023: Fruity, ripe and mineral, has that Southern Rhone quality with a baseline of dark berries and oak then a flinty leesy reductive quality. The palate reflects the nose seamlessly, dark berries and plums, firm-ish tannins and plenty of acidity for bite and freshness. Well made 91 Points - Premium $60.00

Awaroa Adamo SV Syrah 2022. Great colour and bouquet vibe. Aromas and flavours of dark berries and raspberry, black currant line and layers of complexity from bright fruits and tension from the structure and length. Delicious, well made and lengthy, a wine for food, a wine for cheese and a wine for cigars. VVG 94 Points - Excellent RRP $55.00.

Awaroa Organic Winery, Waiheke Island - Portfolio tasting