Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2021

"Dark and intense, lots of perfume, red and black fruits, tobacco, a leafy pop that’s pure varietal class, creamy oak, lead pencils, aniseed and spice. Medium to full-bodied, a flood of flavour, super ‘mineral’ feel to the acidity, tannin is superb, and the finish is so long. Light but so dense. There’s a fresh raspberry juiciness here too, and an extra dimension of tension and energy. All the graphite and presence. Incredible wine." Gary Walsh

• Winery: Te Mata Estate
• Varietal: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc
• Region: Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
• Vintage: 2021
• Alcohol: 14%
• Volume: 750ml
• Closure: Cork
• Food match: Lamb roast, beef, game meat, pork & pepperoni; tuna & salmon; pizza; BBQ & heavy red sauces; bleu-veined cheeses

Coleraine is New Zealand’s most famous red wine, first produced in 1982, this classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc displays the concentration, complexity and elegance found in the world's finest wines.

Winery note: The deep crimson colour of Coleraine ’21, edged in royal purple, is the first clue to this wine’s exceptional character. Pure Hawke’s Bay cabernet aromatics leap from the glass - wild blackberry, blackcurrant, thyme, and cedar, all interwoven with that signature Coleraine perfume of fresh roses. The palate precisely balances richness with vibrant energy; modern and varietally expressive, with cassis, raspberry, mocha, spice, and a distinctive minerality that is uniquely 2021. The fruit ripeness is so succulent, it cloaks those profound, chiselled tannins that carry the palate on endlessly. With perfume, power, finesse, and length this is an absolute original. Coleraine ’21 is ‘ The One’.

Te Mata Estate was originally part of Te Mata Station, a large pastoral land-holding established by English immigrant, John Chambers, in 1854. A homestead and stables were built on the property in the early 1870’s. After returning from France, John Chamber’s third son, Bernard, had the idea to plant vineyards on the north-facing hills around Havelock North. In 1892, Bernard Chambers planted vines on three parcels of hillside land above the homestead and began converting the original stables to ferment and mature these first Te Mata Estate Wines. Today, Te Mata Estate still uses those same three vineyards. The Chambers family sold the property in 1919. Te Mata Vineyards (TMV) was established and the property had two other owners until it was acquired by the Buck and Morris families in 1974 - the two families behind the modern interpretation of this historic New Zealand estate. 

Hawke’s Bay is a very special place for making wine. Its range of slopes, plains and climatic differences, coupled with low humidity and ample ultra-violet light, give winemakers a comprehensive toolkit to showcase their skills. Soils are young and derived from the gravels, silt and sands left behind as the three main rivers of Hawke’s Bay changed course over thousands of years. Te Mata Estate was established here in 1896, specialising in high-quality wines of classical style. Every step in the production of Te Mata's wines are undertaken by them, from grape growing and pruning through to winemaking and bottling. Te Mata Estate is committed to improving its performance in terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability through the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme and was one of the first to be accredited in 1995. According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Te Mata Estate is one of "New Zealand’s greatest wineries".

THE TEAM

Nick Buck - CEO

Born into the wine industry, Nick was raised at his family’s Te Mata Estate and famous Coleraine vineyard home. He tasted many great wines at an impressionable age and afterward would not consider any other career. A ’94 graduate of Massey University’s Bachelor of Business Studies degree, he worked in New Zealand wine retail and distribution before diving into the deep end of the UK wine trade with a London-based wine importer and distributor. There, he completed his Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma, never declining an opportunity to taste his way through the wines of Europe. In London, Nick established a successful French wine importation division for a group of 140 UK restaurants. Then, following a buy-out, he got back to wine production as an intern at Chateau Margaux before returning to Te Mata in time for the 2000 harvest.

Phil Brodie - Senior Winemaker

Having grown up ‘on the land’ in northern Hawke’s Bay, Phil has a natural love and appreciation of the local terroir, the climate, rivers, soil, and sea, and its immense contribution to wine. He combines this understanding with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Wine Science. Phil is also a Senior Wine Judge and an extreme wine junky. He’s married to Leanne and has two children, Benjamin and Hannah. He joined the Te Mata Estate team in 1992 and has had vintage experiences at Clos des Lombrays, Burgundy, and at Chateau Margaux, Bordeaux. 

• 97+/100 Points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front (2021 vintage)
• 97/100 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
• 100/100 Points & 5 Stars - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit (2019 vintage)
  
• 98/100 Points & 5 Stars - Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review  (2019 vintage)
  
• 97/100 Points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front (2019 vintage)
  
• 97/100 Points - Cameron Douglas MS (2019 vintage)
• Top Wine - Bob Campbell, Business Desk (2019 vintage)