Description
“New Zealand’s First Growth. Many critics consider Coleraine up there with the best Bordeaux blends in the world.” Andy Howard MW
“New Zealand’s Grange equivalent, only Coleraine comes from one place, is much cheaper, and to my tastes, is significantly better and more interesting.” Gary Walsh
TOP 50 WINES OF THE WORLD … “New Zealand’s Sassicaia.” James Suckling
Established in 1896, Te Mata Estate remains family owned, producing internationally recognized wines exclusively from its Hawke’s Bay vineyards. The Estate’s ownership varied frequently until John and Wendy Buck acquired it in 1978. John and Wendy instigated a twenty-year development program, which commenced with the restoration of the original winery building and the replanting of all of the original vineyards, as well as the acquisition of new vineyard sites.
The range of temperature and soil types, allied with the rainfall band between 650-850mm, create conditions to produce high quality wines of a classic range akin to those of coastal, central and northern France. Te Mata wines are similar in weight and balance but with unique lifted floral and fruit aromas.
Te Mata winery has been ranked ‘Top Winery in New Zealand’ evidenced by the consistent quality of the Coleraine and Awatea Cabernet Merlot wines, the Bull Nose Syrah and the Elston Chardonnay.
Coleraine is NZ’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.
Coleraine derives its name from the Coleraine vineyard, home of John and Wendy Buck of Te Mata Estate. John’s late grandfather was born in Coleraine in Northern Ireland and the name has been maintained through the family home to the wine. A single vineyard wine until 1989, Coleraine is an assemblage of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards first planted in 1892.
Coleraine 2023 was hand harvested from Te Mata Estate’s Hawke’s Bay vineyards between 31 March and 17 April 2023.
Each parcel of grapes was destemmed before a traditional warm-plunged fermentation and extended maceration on skins. The resulting wines were then run to predominately new French oak barrels for 17 months’ maturation. Throughout this time, they were regularly topped and racked. The assemblage was made in October 2023 and the finished wine was bottled in December 2024.The final blend is 80% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 5% cabernet franc.
A regal, brilliant magenta hue. Raspberry, white flowers, soy, and espresso, arise on driftwood smoke, creating a fresh, elevated, coastal sensation, in an intense, tannin-rich, sculptured wine that’s captivating and irresistibly endless. This is Coleraine essence – a majestic statement of a place, a time, and a lineage.
98 points, Erin Larkin , Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate “This cuvée is a selection of the best from each vintage. In 2023, the strongest performer was the Cabernet Sauvignon. The elevation in all aspects of this wine from the already tremendously impressive awatea is significant. With raspberry, iodine, crushed shells, nori, pressed flowers, new lead pencil, tobacco, bramble and cassis, it is magnificent.”
97 points, James Suckling “This really changes in the glass with blackcurrants, kelp, umami, graphite, fresh mushrooms and roses. Iodine and lemon rind as well. Extremely expressive. It’s medium-bodied with lovely finesse and fine, caressing tannins that are very long in the finish. Firm yet open-grained tannins. Needs time to come together but already a beauty. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Best after 2028.
96 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review “Deep, bright red-purple colour; bell-clear cassis aromas of cabernet come rocketing through on the bouquet. There are charred-leaf and tobacco side-notes from the franc and merlot, too. The meaty, tobaccoey merlot makes its presence felt more on the palate which is rich and rounded, supple and fleshy, with plenty of fine-grained tannin but no sign of astringency. This seems a shade rounder and more up-front than usual for Coleraine.”
95 Points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “I have tasted every vintage of Coleraine ever made. This wine puts me in mind of the 2021. Blackcurrant, essence of cabernet thing here, dried herbs (thyme) and nori, tobacco, pencil, liquorice/aniseed…with a very long finish. Wonderful perfume. I’m spending a lot of time thinking about this wine, about where it will go, and where it sits in the pantheon of Te Mata Coleraine, and the upshot is, ‘up.’ 95+”
RRP $169 Our Special Price $134.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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