Winemaker Notes
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.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
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.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Coleraine is supple and silky. A cavalcade of red and brown notes tumbles forth across the palate, with pomegranate molasses, nutmeg, layers of cassis, bramble, mahogany and raspberry seed. The wine is incredibly fresh, and it's starting to offer notes of attractive development, albeit at a very slow pace. This 2018 today is the window into both youth and evolution; we can see where it started, in its fete of vibrant youth and energy, but we can also see where it is going, and both views offer pleasure. This is a superb wine. Rating: 97+
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Wine Enthusiast
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.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An eclectic region on the east coast of the North Island, Hawkes Bay extends from wide, fertile, coastal plains, inland, to the coast range, whose peaks reach as high as 5,300 feet. While the flatter areas were historically more popular because they are easier to cultivate, their alluvial soils can be too fertile for vines. In the late 20th century, the drive for quality led growers to the hills where soils are free-draining, limestone-rich and more suited to producing high quality wines.
Over the passing of time, the old Ngaruroro River laid down deep, gravelly beds, which were subsequently exposed after a huge flood in the 1860’s. In the 1980s growers identified this stretch, which continues for approximately 800 ha, and named it the Gimblett Gravels. The zone has proven to be ideal for the production of excellent red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
Today the area takes well-earned recognition for its Bordeaux blends and other reds. Expressive of intense stewed red and black berry with gentle herbaceous characters, Gimblett Gravels wines are suggestive of their cool climate origin, and on par with other top-notch Bordeaux blends around the globe.
Chardonnay is the top white grape in Hawkes Bay, making elegant wines, strong in stone fruit character. Sauvignon blanc comes in close behind, notable for its tropical, fruit forward qualities.