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In May 2008, John and Nick Buck of Te Mata presented a tasting in London of the estate’s flagship wine Coleraine, arguably New Zealand’s best Bordeaux blend.
Named after the Northern Ireland town from where John Buck’s grandfather came, the first, single vineyard Coleraine was made in 1982. From 1989, Coleraine has been an assemblage produced from 30 plots within Te Mata’s nine Hawke’s Bay vineyards, most of them cheek by jowl with the winery. The oldest Coleraine vines currently in use were planted in 1978. Cabernet Sauvignon typically accounts for about 55% of the blend, Merlot 30% and Cabernet Franc 1%. The wine is aged in French barriques for 18-20 months.
Wines were tasted oldest to youngest as “a consecutive selection of vintages, warts and all,” as John Buck put it. Overall, though, the consistency of style and quality was impressive, with few pimples apparent. Coleraine was not made in 1992 or 1993 and the 1994 was not shown.
1991
Mature brick red colour. Classic nose, evoking the earthiness of St-Julien/-Estephe and Graves, though other tasters considered the wine to lack complexity. Medium-full bodied, mature tannins and good length of flavour, if a bit “pinched”. Very elegant and well-crafted, with some lingering sweet fruit on the finish. However, it hints at the dilution caused by rain on 9-10 April before harvesting was completed on 27 April. John Buck also felt that vine age was responsible for this wine lacking the potency of other, younger wines. Holding up well, though at the time I reckoned it would need drinking up by 2010.
1995
Deeper colour than the 1991, though with similar shading. Very surly and closed by comparison, with less “lift”. Firm and as tightly coiled as twine, with slack acidity. Some tannic grip too, but with wood rather than fruit tannins on the finish. It needs another 5+ years.
1996
Colour as before. More open on the nose than the 1995, if less well developed aromatically than the 1991, with some oak still hovering above the fruit. Starting to become complex but some primary fruit is still apparent. Delicious balance on the palate – ripe, savoury fruit, good but soft acidity, ripe and fleshy tannins, and fine length. Very good. Just starting to drink. Age to 2015.
1997
Colour as before. Very similarly styled to 1996, but with more diffident acidity and jug-eared tannins, though fine and elegant again. Noticeably more forward and mature than the 1995 and 1996 but still gilded by oak. After an hour in the glass it became herbal. “A very strange year,” said John Buck, which produced a more generous style of Coleraine. It has excellent length but probably won’t endure as long as the ’95 or ’96.
1998
The hottest year ever experienced by Te Mata, though highly extolled throughout New Zealand. The deeper colour reflects the heat of this vintage. Very “Cabernet” in character – blackcurrants, some oak, and nowhere near ready yet. The modern look is carried through to the palate, which is more extracted than previous wines, especially the tannins on the finish, which grip like the tendrils of a creeper. Highly praised by fellow tasters but “slightly out of step with the mainstream,” felt John Buck; “one could argue its lacks some elegance.” Age to 2013+.
1999
Lighter in colour than its siblings, though more garnet than the 1998. A return to the “traditional” style after the esoteric 1998, with a strong family resemblance to the 1995. Some Christmas cake (Merlot) character on the nose. A tobacco note again, too. Less punchy than 1998 but much better for it. Drink to 2013+.
2000
Colour as per 1998. Closer in style to 1998 than 1999, though it has a better-pitched balance of ripe fruit, savoury flavours and elegance than 1998. “A very good vintage… One of the most beautiful and fragrant Coleraines of the last ten years, ” said Nick Buck. Age to 2015.
2001
Purple/garnet. More Right Bank than Left in its styling, even though other vintages have a higher Merlot content. John Buck claimed that vine age was responsible for the conspicuous notch up the ladder in terms of concentration and extract in the 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 wines. Lovely – as soft as down. Drink now to 2015+.
2002
Garnet. Much leaner, more vegetal, and more leafy than any previous wine, but no worse for it... Forest floor, suggested one taster. A hint of Cabernet Franc liquorice accompanies the fragrant leafiness. An atypical Coleraine – more Loire-like than Bordeaux-like – but very good in a leaner, more leafy style. “We’re the only company that believes Cabernet Franc has a future in New Zealand,” said John Buck. Age to 2013+.
2003
More purple than the 2002. Plenty of tannin. A more bullish style, à la 1998, though more pixelated than most of the previous wines. “A disastrous year in Hawke’s Bay,” admitted John Buck, in which only one-fifth of the usual quantity of Coleraine was produced, with no Cabernet Franc “of any consequence” this year. Another atypical Coleraine, lacking Franc and, apparently consequently, elegance. Not one to make old bones… Drink to 2011+ for its chewy fruit. Nick Buck remained positive, though: “A wine we’re proud of.”
2004
“In terms of earlier vintages, it most resembles the 1991, but with more lifted aromatics”, reckoned Buck. Garnet. Sweet fruit in the middle, with a Cabernet Franc liquorice note and a whiff of vanilla oak still apparent. Likened by a fellow taster to a Super-Tuscan for its modern, oaky sheen. Herbal after an hour’s aeration in the glass.
2005
Picking began on 9 March and ended on 2 May – the longest harvest in Te Mata’s history. As red as a traffic light but vibrant and light on its feet, ready to trip on the light fantastic toe. Difficult to drink at the moment but John Buck believes 2005 to be “the finest Coleraine yet produced.” Tannin, fruit and acid are all in synch – this will develop in slow motion. By general consensus, this was the wine of the evening.
2006
This 2006 vintage marks 25 years of Coleraine. A little bit jammy at first, and not as seamless or well knit as the 2005, but a very good effort. A savoury kick on the finish… Delicious. Buck concluded the tasting by stating, “We believe we have a very good 2007 and perhaps an outstanding 2008.” The 2007 is apparently more structured and ageworthy than the 2008.
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