Gewurztraminer

Mission Estate, founded in 1851 by French Marist Brothers, holds the distinction of being New Zealand's oldest winery — a heritage that predates the country's modern wine industry by over a century. The Brothers planted for sacramental use, but the site's potential for aromatic whites became undeniable over generations of cultivation.

Hawke's Bay's alluvial plains deliver free-draining, low-fertility soils that stress the vine into concentrated fruit production, while the region's warm days and cool nights — moderated by proximity to the Pacific — preserve the volatile aromatic compounds that define Gewurztraminer. The result is a grape that arrives at harvest with phenolic ripeness without sacrificing perfume.

Mission's Gewurztraminer is vinified to capture primary varietal character: cool fermentation to lock in lychee and rose petal aromatics, with minimal oak intervention to keep the fruit expression unobstructed. Residual sugar is managed to balance the grape's naturally low acidity.

Gewurztraminer remains a rare planting in Hawke's Bay, where Chardonnay and Bordeaux reds dominate — Mission's continued commitment to the variety is a deliberate nod to its aromatic white heritage. Drink young to capture peak floral intensity.