Sesh is spesh.
Oh yes, it is! We're preparing for your imminent arrival for the first of our world-famous-in-Te Awanga Sunday Sessions this....SUNDAY! Lawn's mowed. Rosé chilling. Pizzas prepping. Bubbles at the ready. Kenny deep-breathing..!

Join us on Sunday as we kick off summer in style with local legits Professor Dynamite + the Banditos, including the gorgeous sounds of Margot Watts, and some spinning beats from Akina Vinyl Appreciation Society. Boom! Pop on out from 12-5pm, music kicks in at 1pm, $5 on the gate, kids free, bring your chill but totes leave your booze at home thanks, it's no BYO. Weather looks fab...see you there! ... See MoreSee Less

** New Release **
We're fizzing to Introduce to you our newest, shiniest and longest-awaited wine...our Te Awanga Estate Love-you-long-time 2014 Methode Traditionelle.

Honestly, we love it. But I'm going to leave it to Rod to explain...settle in though, he's feeling quite eloquent...!

"To say this has been a long time in the making is an understatement. We've been dreaming of and inching towards this launch day for some time now. But it's here, and funnily enough, we've got just the perfect wine to celebrate with: our new release, first-ever Te Awanga Estate Love-you-long-time 2014 Methode Traditionelle.

There's so much that goes into a bottle of sparkling wine made in the traditional French method...so much, in fact, it can give you nightmares if you let it!

Outright, this is one of the most challenging wines I've ever made. Imagine this...grapes picked early when the acid is too high and sugar too low to make normal wine, fermented and put in the bottle cloudy with a little sweet reserve, then fermented for the second time to make bubbles....madness. Left in the dark, cool cellar to gain flavour, balance and length before it's disgorged, corked and labelled. FOUR YEARS LATER! (actually FIVE by the time we released it!) But jingers its a lovely wine - vanilla, bread and brûlée flavours, golden with a fine bead of bubbles.

So here it is. Our no-expense-spared homage to great French fizz - Te Awanga Estate Love-you-long-time 2014 Methode Traditionelle. Made from great Hawke's Bay Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It's the real deal (apart from the French bit, I guess).

To be opened in celebration, however that rolls. Certainly, don't wait for a dozen white truffle coated oysters or asparagus picked from the left side of the hill on a full moon. S+Vs are just fine by us. And don't wait for the Queen, she's unlikely to make it. Grab some mates, pop the cork and enjoy." RM

www.teawangaestate.co.nz/product/love-you-long-time-2014-methode-traditionelle ... See MoreSee Less

Hands up for ice cream...?
Fave photo from our F.A.W.C Italian Village Passeggiata. Beg pardon for interrupting, Rod!

Photo by Kirsten Simcox ... See MoreSee Less

Next week.
Shhhhhhhhh.
(don't tell Rod I told you!) ... See MoreSee Less

Have friends, buy wine.
Cobble a group together and get amongst it at the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction this weekend. Serious kit, unique blends and plenty of banter and tastings beforehand.

We're donating a Quarter Barrique of unique Syrah because ya'll know how much we dig Syrah! (and Rod's quite good at it...hello, two world-beaters!!)

Grab a friend or two and bid up large for Cranford Hospice. Or if you'd rather stay at home with no friends, that's an option too. #absenteebids ... See MoreSee Less

Helping hands.
Thank you to all those involved in our F.A.W.C Italian Village Passeggiata on Saturday night - we had a blast!

Mostly thanks to Renee+ Paolo from Studio Italia Cinema Italiano Festival and Tom+Benita from Hawthorne Coffee for the now legendary affogato. Always a pleasure to work with you lovely peeps. Also thanks to Piku for the final nightcap, Event Cinema for housing us during the film, Alessandro for the pizza in their fab new space, and marvellous Toma for being the wandering violin minstrel!

Mostly, thanks to all the fab people who snaffled up tickets and took on the Passeggiata with such enthusiasm! You are the best. ... See MoreSee Less

Taking a stroll.
The perfect afternoon for a stroll around the village at our Italian Passeggiata, our lucky F.A.W.C Walkers are in for a few treats! Minus the knife. There are no knives involved. ... See MoreSee Less

"A long time in the making. This is one of the most challenging wines we've ever made...But jingers it's a lovely drink. A no-expense-spared homage to great..."
Rod McDonald, Winemaker.

#launchingnextweek ... See MoreSee Less

This guy.
A brother from the same mother and we love him. Ben and some of his musically inclined friends and sending the Hawke’s Bay Arts Fest off with a twang tomorrow night (Monday) with their new set called Under the Influence. If you’ve been to our Sunday Sessions you probably already know Ben, can’t wait to see him in the Arts Fest tent. Come along! ... See MoreSee Less

Flight path.
Our place. CELLARbrate New Zealand cellar doors with us over the long weekend as we offer up two daily flights to...who knows where?! Three wines, some sort of linkage, all made by us. Jump on board! ... See MoreSee Less