Te Mata Estate - Coleraine 2018
Price: $99.99
| Producer | Te Mata Estate |
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| Country | New Zealand |
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| Region | Hawkes Bay |
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| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
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| Vintage | 2018 |
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| Sku | 31329 |
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First produced in 1982, Coleraine is New Zealand’s most famous red wine. 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.
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
A deep midnight-magenta, Coleraine 2018 is symphonic in its harmony and presence. The aromatics are immediately varietal with grace notes of cassis, raspberry leaf, fresh roses, dark chocolate, lifted black cherry, espresso and cedar.
The palate deepens the opening theme. There’s tapenade, darkest blackberry and ripe plum while underneath, quietly, a precise, profound tannin structure resonates.
Powerful, deep-set, graceful and complex, Coleraine 2018 is refined to an exquisite point while still retaining freshness and balance. It lingers after tasting. Layered and composed, resplendent and resolved, a gloriously seductive ensemble celebratory of all that fine New Zealand wine can be.
Te Mata Estate Description
Established in 1896, Te Mata Estate remains family owned, producing internationally recognized wines exclusively from its Hawke’s Bay vineyards, located on New Zealand’s North Island. Te Mata Estate is home to New Zealand’s oldest vineyards and wine cellars with 125 years of continuous wine production. Today, the Buck family delivers internationally acclaimed estate-grown wines of classical style, which represent the best qualities of their variety, vintage and vineyard.
James Suckling: 97 Points
A very concentrated nose with impressively rich blackberry, raspberry and dark-plum aromas. Dark chocolate, violet and cedary oak here, too. Very youthful. The palate has a very rich, intense and plush feel with fresh acidity and depth, amid long, fine and compressed tannins. Good freshness and concentration. Drink or hold.
Wine Enthusiast: 96 Points
Te Mata’s top wine comes mostly from the Havelock Hills, the first legally protected vineyards in New Zealand. This vintage is a strong one, showcasing the power and ageability of a world class red with the precision and linearity of this traditional estate. Notes of black currant, plum, black olive, baking spice, dried green herbs and vanillin and chocolaty oak are present throughout. Chalky tannins are taut and powerful but wellintegrated, hinting at a long life ahead. Drink 2022– 2040.
Wine Advocate: 94 Points
The 2018 Coleraine (the current release) is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. It's fresh and floral on the nose, with hints of green herbs and dark chocolate both complementing vibrant cassis fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it's richly textured and actually a bit chunky in its youth, possessing a slight excess of flesh that will require age to ameliorate. Of course, that also makes it relatively approachable young, for folks who don't mind a bit of tannin. Long and concentrated on the finish, this looks to be another very successful vintage of Coleraine.
