The wines of Te Wā, Moldova

Website: https://tewawines.co/

Moldova meets New Zealand! I first came across the wines of Te Wā when I tasted through a large selection of Moldovan wines a couple of years ago, and I was really impressed. Here I tasted through a number of wines from their range. Te Wā stands for ‘time will tell’ in Maori.

The New Zealand connection is that one of the founders, Vadim Mihailov (he started the winery with his partner), spent two seasons working in New Zealand (2014 and 2015), and they came back and began Te Wā in 2019. The approach is a low intervention one.

Te Wā Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Saperavi 2018 Moldova
13.5% alcohol. This is gravelly, dark and spicy with some woody, roast coffee notes as well as sleek blackberry and black cherry fruit. There’s an innate ripeness here with sweet berries and some richness of texture, as well as some hints of tar and cedar. There’s a richness here but it stays well in balance, with a sense of sweetness to the fruit countered by some savoury notes. 92/100

Te Wā Feteasca Neagra 2019 Moldova
14.5% alcohol. 20% of the wine aged for 8 months in Transylvanian oak. Pepper, dried herbs and some spices on the nose with sweet berry fruits, and just a dusting of cocoa. The palate shows ripe cherry and plum fruit, with some fine green hints, and a lovely supple drinkability. This has really nice focus, with some spicy structure supporting the ripe fruit, and beautifully integrated oak adding an extra dimension. 93/100

Te Wā V(ia) 2019 Moldova
14% alcohol. This is a varietal Feteasca Neagra. This is really fresh and focused with raspberry and cherry fruit, supported by some cear spice and fine woody hints. This is bright and beautifully proportioned, with a spicy edge to the well structured sweet red fruits. Has a nice core of sweet fruit, but in good balance. 93/100

Te Wā Feteasca Neagra Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2022 Moldova
13% alcohol. Bright pink with a little bit of carbon dioxide spritz on opening. Juicy, bright and fruity with nice tart cherry and raspberry fruit, as well as a touch of citrus. Vivid and dry, this is a really appealing fruit-forward rosé with nice bright acidity. Really well made. 90/100

Te Wā Chardonnay 2021 Moldova
13% alcohol. Nice aromatics: lemons, pears, some waxy hints, a touch of grapiness. The palate is fresh and textural with melon, pear and lemon fruit, showing a touch of almond nuttiness and also a hint of apple and marzipan. Lovely balance here: not a big, oaky Chardonnay, but rather one with fruit focus and balance, and a slight salinity on the finish. 91/100