Te Mata Estate Vineyards Syrah 2015
Style: Red Wine
Closure: Screwcap
Te Mata Estate Vineyards Syrah 2015
Camberwell
Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124
Australia
Producer: Te Mata Estate
Country: New Zealand
Region: Hawke's Bay
Vintage: 2015
Critic Score: 91
Alcohol: 13.0%
Size: 750 ml
Drink by: 2030
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.
The Estate Syrah is the younger brother to Te Mata's flagship Syrah, 'Bullnose'. It is a delicious and exceptionally well-priced blend of three subregions, predominantly the famed Gimblett Gravels, supplemented with fruit from Dartmoor Valley and Bridge Pa. Fruit that doesn't make the grade for the Bullnose is used in the Estate bottling..
"A pronounced peppery aroma, fresh and clean. The wine is medium-bodied and crisp in the mouth; fresh and lively with balanced acid and tannins and just a light, nicely judged grip on the end - which also tastes peppery. Very good and very much a cool-climate shiraz style." Huon Hooke
"A glowing purple red and overflowing with black cherry, raspberry, plum and wild herbs, Estate Vineyards Syrah ’15 is sumptuous and elegant. Hints of blueberry, cinnamon and sandalwood underpin the exotic nature of this wonderfully expressive wine. The dark character of syrah is lifted by the floral aromatics of viognier – the perfume and depth of the style is balanced perfectly by the elegant fruit and fine even tannins. The Estate Vineyards Syrah has a touch of white Viognier, a traditional winemaking technique in France’s Rhône Valley. It introduces a delightful floral aroma and supple texture to Syrah’s spicy dark-berry flavours." Te Mata Estate
Te Mata Estate Winery
Expert reviews
"Brilliantly priced syrah, the palate is succulent and silky, and displays lovely poise and purity, beautifully framed by fine tannins. An immediately appealing syrah." Sam Kim, Wine Orbit – 93 points
"Some white pepper and attractive bacon fat here with a wealth of blackberry fruits - toasty oak spice brings extra appeal to the nose. The palate has slippery, smooth and silky tannins, plenty of depth, fleshy red cherry and blackberry fruit and a resounding sense of fluidity and polish. Screwcap. Drink now." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 92 points
"Deep purple/red colour and a pronounced peppery aroma, fresh and clean. The wine is medium-bodied and crisp in the mouth; fresh and lively with balanced acid and tannins and just a light, nicely judged grip on the end - which also tastes peppery. Very good and very much a cool-climate shiraz style. Drink: 2017-2030." Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 91 points
"Medium-bodied Syrah, with the flowing silky red fruits indicative of its Bridge Pa and Woodthorpe origins. Aromas of violet, peony, raspberry, cranberry, sandalwood and star anise. Not terribly long, but expressive, vivid and detailed." Matt Walls, Decanter - 90 points
About the 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
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%).