Oyster Bay
Hawke’s Bay Merlot
A bold new world of flavour.
Bright cherry aromas and rich plum with subtle spice and a soft lingering texture.
Recently awarded 90 points by James Suckling.
We had to go out of our way to find the best place to grow Merlot. In the Hawke’s Bay we discovered perfection. New Zealand’s warmest grape growing region. From its abundant, clear sunlight and ancient soils comes a Merlot that excites the senses with its fragrance, softness and elegant fruit intensity.
Aged in French oak barriques to impart complexity, the heroes in our Oyster Bay Merlot are always freshness of ripe fruit, spice and soft tannins on the palate. A wonderful Merlot perfectly crafted to accompany any special moment.
As a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, we have always recognized nature as the true producer of our wines.
Awards and Accolades
Technical Information
Winemaking Techniques
Oyster Bay Hawke’s Bay Merlot, New Zealand – Awards and Accolades
2024 WINE ENTHUSIAST, USA - 2022 OYSTER BAY MERLOT - AWARDED A BEST BUY
Wine Enthusiast Magazine is an indispensable guide to the latest wine trends, ratings and reviews.
2023 JAMES SUCKLING, USA - 2022 OYSTER BAY MERLOT - AWARDED 90 POINTS
James Suckling spent nearly 30 years as Senior Editor and European Bureau Chief of Wine Spectator. Rated by Forbes as “one of the world’s most powerful wine critics."
2023 SAN ANTONIO STOCK SHOW & RODEO INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION, USA - 2023 OYSTER BAY MERLOT - AWARDED A GOLD MEDAL
San Antonio Wine Competition is one of the largest wine competitions in Texas and judges wines from all around the world.
2023 CHINA WINE AND SPIRITS AWARD - 2021 OYSTER BAY MERLOT - AWARDED A GOLD MEDAL
The CWSA (China Wine & Spirits Awards) is the biggest & most prestigious wine & spirits competition in China.
2023 INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION, LONDON - 2021 OYSTER BAY MERLOT - AWARDED 91 POINTS
The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) is an annual wine and spirit competition founded in 1969 with over 250 specialist judges from all over the world.
2022 INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE, LONDON - 2020 OYSTER BAY MERLOT - AWARDED 91 POINTS
The International Wine Challenge (IWC) is accepted as the world's most rigorous, impartial and influential annual wine competition.
Oyster Bay Hawke’s Bay Merlot, New Zealand – Technical Information
The Hawke’s Bay wine region is arguably the most exciting find in recent times for the cultivation of Merlot in New Zealand. Ancient alluvial river terraces provide for a superb mix of soils over gravelly, free-draining subsoils, with an abundance of pure river water or irrigation.
With a temperate maritime climate, the vines are warmed by strong clear sunlight during the day and cooled at night by the sea breezes of the Pacific Ocean.
This is the unique environment in which Merlot produces its vibrant, fully-ripened varietal flavours. Essentially, Oyster Bay Merlot is about elegance and intensity of fruit. The hero of this red wine is always freshness of ripe fruit, spice and soft tannins on the palate.
Oyster Bay Hawke’s Bay Merlot, New Zealand – Winemaking Techniques
Our winemaking philosophy is to capture the special character of New Zealand’s cool climate viticulture – to consistently produce distinctly regional wines that are elegant and assertive with glorious fruit flavours.
The flavours we love so much are there from the moment we pick the grapes. They come from the unique cool climate and ancient soils where our vines grow and we work hard, using a science and a love of the land to create remarkable flavours in every bunch.
We call these elegant and assertive wines with glorious fruit flavours.
Uniquely New Zealand, undeniably Oyster Bay.
