Te Mata Estate was originally part of Te Mata Station which was established by English Immigrant, John Chambers in 1854. In 1892, John’s third son, Bernard Chambers planted vines on three parcels of hillside land above the homestead. There are now five vineyards, totalling 15 hectares.

For forty years, Te Mata Estate’s winemaker - John Buck, has produced a stunning array of red and white wines including Coleraine, Awatea, Bullnose Syrah, Elston Chardonnay, Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc and Zara Viognier (released in 2009). In 2012 Te Mata Estate launched a collection of Syrah, Gamay Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc named Estate Vineyards. These wines are produced from their own vineyards produce the best qualities of their variety, vintage, and Hawke's Bay origin.

The range of slopes and changes in climate, mixed with low humidity and ample ultra-violet light, allows winemakers show off their skills. As the three main rivers of Hawke’s Bay have changed over thousands of years, they have left behind gravels, silt and sands which the young soils have derived from.

Today, Te Mata Estate is seen as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers, making nearly 40,000 cases of premium wine annually exporting to over 42 countries.