Te Mata 'Coleraine' Cabernet Merlot 2018

In a nutshell:
A quite superlative New Zealand red blend from Hawke's Bay and one of the country's most famous wines.

The lowdown:
Since this first appeared in 1982 it has become one of the most collectable of New Zealand wines. Described by Decanter magazine as "New Zealand's First Growth" Coleraine is a classic Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot from several of Te Mata's finest plots. The different plots were harvested, fermented and matured in new French oak at first before being blended into the final wine 9 months later. This final blend then spent another several months maturing in barrel before being bottling. Vibrant floral, dark fruit and sweet spice aromas lead onto a textured, complex and refined full-bodied and still lively palate of concentrated cassis and black cherry fruit flavours with notes of cedar and spice.

The Producer:
Located in New Zealand's Hawke's Bay region, Te Mata Estate is the country's oldest winery, established in 1892 with three vineyards on the Havelock Hills. The modern era began in 1978 under John and Wendy Buck, who enhanced its reputation for excellent Bordeaux reds and Chardonnay whites. Te Mata has since expanded its vineyard holdings across Hawke's Bay, capitalizing on the region's favourable soils and climate. Their most famous wine, Coleraine, is named after John Buck's grandfather's hometown in Northern Ireland. Other top wines include Bullnose Syrah and Elston Chardonnay, regularly acclaimed for their quality.

When to drink:
As with any top class Claret, Coleraine has the ageing potential to last well into the 2030s

Categories	Wine / Red Wine / Complex & Structured Reds
Region	Hawke's Bay
Country	New Zealand
Grape Variety	Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Cabernet Franc
Vintage	2018
Volume	75cl
ABV	13.5%
SKU	TE0V15WN