Awatea takes its name from the historic ship SS Awatea (a Maori word meaning “Eye of the Dawn”) that sailed across the Tasman in the 1930s before being sunk in Algeria in WWII. One of the best-selling premium wines in NZ, the Awatea Cabernet Merlot is a lovely, graceful Cabernet blend that shows you don't need ridiculous alcohol and heavy flavours to make an impressive red. Think gently leafy aromatics, dark red fruit and then long, finessed tannins. Oh yes, this is the wine equivalent of a perfectly ironed jacket.

In New Zealand wine terms, Te Mata is the OG, boasting the oldest vineyard in NZ (and the oldest continuously operating winery, only pipped by Mission Estate at the oldest winery), dating back to the 1890s. Forget the history; what's more important is that this Hawke's Bay winery is now, arguably, making better wines than ever before, headlined by the extraordinary consistency of their Cabernet-based wines under the Coleraine & Awatea labels. Of course, there is more to Te Mata than red blends, with the estate now spread across vineyards in four Hawke’s Bay sub-regions with 150 hectares under vine and producing benchmark Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc & Syrah in particular. This is blue chip New Zealand wine, maybe a little old school, but in a 'why mess with perfection' sort of way.