Te Mata Coleraine

Winemaker notes

2021: 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’.

2021

WA 98: 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. I buy this every year, regardless of conditions, and this year I am very smug about that.

JS 98: 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.

2020

JS 97: A beautiful nose of graphite, blackcurrant, crushed stone, blackberry, bark and sage. Medium- to full-bodied with velvety, structured tannins. Linear onto a wide open palate with so much clarity and length. Mineral complexity sits underneath the wonderfully ripened black fruit giving definition and dynamics. Steady acidity. Fresh herbs and black tea. Pine, too. So attractive now but needs time. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 36 merlot and 7% cabernet franc. Sustainable. Best after 2026.