Te Mata Coleraine Hawke's Bay 2018

Te Mata Coleraine Hawke's Bay 2018Oak & cedar Dark chocolate Ripe plum & black cherry Profound tannin "Bright, youthful blended red of cabernet sauvignon (52%), merlot (33%) and cabernet franc (15%). This is classic Coleraine with cassis, cedar, floral, blueberry, a suggestion of wood smoke, anise and spicy oak flavours. Terrific depth and an exquisite balance between fruit sweetness and acid tannin structure. It will be a long distance runner" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real

• Oak & cedar
• Dark chocolate
• Ripe plum & black cherry
• Profound tannin

"Bright, youthful blended red of cabernet sauvignon (52%), merlot (33%) and cabernet franc (15%). This is classic Coleraine with cassis, cedar, floral, blueberry, a suggestion of wood-smoke, anise and spicy oak flavours. Terrific depth and an exquisite balance between fruit sweetness and acid/tannin structure. It will be a long-distance runner" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Mar 2020

"Very deep, concentrated, bright purple/red colour. The bouquet is exquisite with a multitude of black fruits, blueberry, cassis, violet and cedar aromas, and much more besides. The detail is outstanding, as is the intensity of the palate. It’s very concentrated and powerful, firmly-structured and has tremendous persistence. The tannins are firm and abundant and will help guarantee a long life, but they are ripe and accessible and the wine is already approachable. (52% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 15% cabernet franc)" Huon Hooke, Real Review, Feb 2020

"Undeniably well-crafted and impeccably styled, the wine exhibits cassis, dark cherry, cedar, violet and subtle tobacco characters on the nose with a light seasoning of warm spice. The palate offers outstanding concentration and multi-layered mouthfeel, combined with fabulous fruit purity and elegant oak undertones, leading to an impressively prolonged finish backed by seamlessly integrated chalky tannins. A wine of sublime sophistication and presence. A blend of 52% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 15% cabernet franc" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Feb 2020

A deep midnight-magenta, Coleraine ’18 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 ’18 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.

Coleraine ’18 was hand harvested from separate plots within Te Mata’s vineyards between 26 March and 20 April 2018.

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 separate wines were blended in January 2019. The finished wine was bottled in December 2019. The final blend is 52% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.

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. Originally a single vineyard wine, from 1989 Coleraine has been an assemblage of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest vineyards on the Havelock Hills.