Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2021
Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2021

Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2021

Sale price$132.95
Havelock Hills, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Style: Red Wine

Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (32%), Cabernet Franc (12%)

Closure: Cork

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Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2021

Camberwell

, usually ready in 2-4 days

Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124
Australia

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Producer: Te Mata Estate

Country: New Zealand

Region: Hawke's Bay

Vintage: 2021

Critic Score: 100

Alcohol: 14.0%

Size: 750 ml

Drink by: 2050


The 2021 Coleraine is a superstar. The persistence of flavor here is extraordinary - Erin Larkin

James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the World 2023
James Suckling Top 100 Wines of New Zealand 2023

Te Mata Estate was acquired by John Buck in 1974 and the Buck family have been producing Te Mata wines ever since. Coleraine is named after John's family ancestral hometown in Northern Ireland. Coleraine is Te Mata Estate's flagship wine and is regarded by many as New Zealand's finest red wine. First produced in 1982, Coleraine is a classic blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. 

"Dark and intense, lots of perfume. 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

For the third year in a row the vintage gods smiled on Te Mata and the Coleraine is outstanding. The winery thinks the 2019, 2020 and 2021 vintages of Coleraine are the finest to date. The 2021 comprises 56% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot and 12% cabernet franc.

"If the Langton's Classification crossed the Tasman, Te Mata Coleraine would sit alongside Grange at its very pinnacle. Established, esteemed, outstanding – vintage after vintage, the glowing adjectives come thick and fast."  Langtons 

"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

Te Mata Estate Winery

Te Mata Estate Winery

Expert reviews

"The 2021 Coleraine exhibits a commanding presence and majestic poise. The bouquet reveals classic aromas of cassis, dark plum and violet with whispering nuances of cedar and cigar. There are hints of warm spices, compounding the pleasure upon inhalation. The palate is bold and graceful at once, enhanced by plush texture and multi-layered mouthfeel, beautifully framed by refreshing acidity and fine chalky tannins. Robust and substantial with a great line and length, which seem to go on to infinity. This youthful wine is already impossible to resist, but time will reward those who can wait. In sports, they often talk about 'The Greatest of All Time', or 'The GOAT'."  Sam Kim, Wine Orbit – 100 points

"The 2021 Coleraine is a superstar. It's the best I recall seeing on release in recent years, a total "pleasure-dome" situation. Tea tree, oyster shell, lavender, black tea and tobacco leaf burst from the glass. Seamless, polished tannins grace the palate. There is texturally more silk to the tannins here than the Awatea tasted beside this (another great wine, for what it's worth). There are notes of creamy red fruits, cassis and bramble, Asian five spice, black cherry and graphite/mineral skein. The persistence of flavor here is extraordinary; it's detailed and nuanced but insistent in the mouth. The tannins cup the fruit in the mouth. Winemaker Phil Brodie said there are no enzymes or added tannin; it's all from the vineyard. This is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. 2021 was left in barrel a little longer than the 2020 to refine the tannins. Drink: 2023-2043."  Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 98 points  

"Very impressive Coleraine, possibly the best I have yet tasted. Quite Bordeaux-like with impressive density and complexity. Richly textured wine that is obviously youthful but easy to appreciate. Cassis, dark chocolate, vanilla, liquorice, mixed spice and anise are some of the more obvious flavours. Destined to become a classic. Drink: 2023–2040."  Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review - 98 points 

"Redcurrant and creme de cassis aromas. Roses. So aromatic. Stones. Oyster and mussel shell. Ink pot. Lead pencil shavings. Full-bodied but very tight and focused. Linear and long with fine, powdery and chewy tannins. Crushed velvet texture. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, and 12% cabernet franc. More franc than normal in the blend. Terrific length. Try after 2028."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 98 points and Top 100 Wines of the World and Top 100 Wines of New Zealand 2023  

"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. Tasted: Dec 2022; Alcohol: 14%; Closure: Cork; Drink: 2026-2045+."  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front - 97+ points 

"Very deep bright purple colour; the bouquet shows similar mulberry, blackcurrant and raspberry fruit aromas as the Awatea but the wine is more concentrated all-round and shows a little more oak (65% new). There are violet notes and a sprinkle of spices including nutmeg too. The tannins are more persuasive and mouth-coating also, and the length is prodigious. A smashing cabernet blend, and a top vintage for this wine. Drink: 2025–2041."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 97 points

Awards

James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the World 2023
James Suckling Top 100 Wines of New Zealand 2023

The story of coleraine

Te Mata Estate Coleraine

Te Mata Estate was acquired by John Buck in 1974 and the Buck family have been producing Te Mata wines ever since. Coleraine is named after John's family ancestral hometown in Northern Ireland. 

"Coleraine is New Zealand's greatest red wine"  - Sydney Morning Herald

Coleraine is Te Mata Estate's flagship wine and is regarded by many as New Zealand's finest red wine. First produced in 1982, Coleraine is a classic blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, and displays the concentration, complexity and elegance found in the world's greatest wines. Coleraine showed the world that Hawke's Bay, and indeed New Zealand, was capable of making world class red blends.

Cabernet Sauvignon is nearly always the dominant grape variety but the blend has ranged from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon in 1982 down to just 25% in 2002. The remainder of the blend is predominantly Merlot with, usually, the addition of small amounts of Cabernet Franc.

The earlier vintages of Coleraine from 1982 to 1988 were all single-vineyard blends from the Coleraine vineyard. From 1989 onwards, the wine has been a blend of grapes from across the Te Mata Estate vineyards that were planted in 1982. 

Peter Cowley joined Te Mata as their sole winemaker in 1984, two years after Coleraine's inaugural vintage. He has been responsible for all the subsequent vintages until his retirement in 2019. Peter handed over the reins to now senior winemaker Philip Brodie, who has been part of the Te Mata Estate team since 1992.

"The absolute strength of Bordeaux blends is in different varieties and different soils, and that's where we started. But it is also really about the people that put these wines together, who made them what they are.

Although it might have been inspired by Bordeaux, the thing about Coleraine is that it has really come out of that shadow and it has developed its own voice and style in that time. When you go through 32 years of Coleraine, we are looking at New Zealand history – we are stepping out of the shadow of Bordeaux and taking pride in New Zealand."  Toby Buck, Te Mata Estate

John Buck discusses Coleraine

Nick Buck discusses Coleraine


About the winery

Te Mata Estate Winery

Te Mata Estate was established in 1896, specialising in high-quality wines of classical style. The winery remains family owned, producing internationally recognized wines exclusively from its Hawke's Bay vineyards. 

"New Zealand's first growth" - Andy Howard MW, Decanter Magazine
"A national treasure" - Jancis Robinson MW
"New Zealand's greatest winery" - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Te Mata Estate was originally part of Te Mata Station, a large pastoral land-holding established by English immigrant, John Chambers, in 1854. 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 he planted vines on three parcels of hillside land above the homestead and began converting the original stables to ferment and mature the wines. The first vintage wines were released in 1986. Today, Te Mata Estate still uses those same three vineyards. 

The Chambers family sold the property in 1919. The property had two other owners until John and Wendy Buck acquired Te Mata Estate in 1978 and 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. In addition, new vineyard sites were acquired in the Bridge Pa, Gimblett Gravels and Dartmoor Valley sub-regions of Hawke's Bay (refer map below). The Buck family have been producing Te Mata wines ever since. The success of Te Mata's wines in the '80s is credited with sparking the revival of Hawke's Bay as a top wine region.
 


Te Mata Estate Winery and Hawke's Bay sub-regions

 Te Mata Estate Winery and Hawke's Bay sub-regions

Wine region map of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is home to more than 700 wineries across 14 wine regions. The regions are Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Central Otago, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Martinborough*, Nelson, Northland, Waikato, Waipara Valley, Wairarapa and Waitaki Valley. * Martinborough is a sub-region of Wairarapa, however, as it is world renowned it is considered here to be a region to avoid confusion.

The wine regions in New Zealand stretch from latitudes 36°S (Northland) in the north (comparable in latitude to Jerez, Spain), to 45°S (Central Otago) in the south (comparable in latitude to Bordeaux, France). New Zealand's climate is maritime, producing cooler summers and milder winters than would be expected at similar latitudes in Europe.

Viticulture in New Zealand dates back to 1836 when British resident James Busby produced wine in the far north, but it wasn't until 1985 that the wine industry came of age when Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc garnered international attention and critical acclaim.

New Zealand is internationally renowned for Sauvignon Blanc (particularly from Marlborough), Pinot Noir (Central Otago, Martinborough and Waipara Valley), Chardonnay, Bordeaux-style blends of mainly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (Hawkes Bay) and Syrah (Hawkes Bay). Sauvignon Blanc accounts for 63% of the area of the national vineyard, followed by Pinot Noir (14%), Chardonnay (8%), Pinot Gris (7%) and Merlot (3%).