Nz First Growth
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Andrew Graham – Sydney, September 2018 NZ FIRST GROWTH: TE MATA ESTATE COLERAINE VERTICAL 1982-2016 Coleraine is one of the few NZ wines that I have multiple bottles of in the cellar. A wine that is every bit New Zealand’s ‘First Growth’, with a history that dates all the way back to 1896 and a reputation for unwavering consistency. Named after the original vineyard planted to the same proportions as Chateau Margaux, Coleraine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Before 1989 it was a single vineyard wine, after that a blend of grapes from across the Te Mata Estate vineyards. For this vertical, the wines were all either purchased at auction (with some bottles topped up if necessary) or from the wine program cellars and checked before the tasting at Te Mata Estate. That attention to detail meant that there were no bad wines in this vertical. Just glory. Please world, make every vertical like this. Notes are as written on the day and we went through the wines v. quickly so they’re pretty rough impressions. Still, there is no disguising the pleasure of so many of the wines here. Hawke’s Bay goes to Bordeaux indeed. Personally, I prefer the moderate years, the best wines are so varietal yet they’re ripe and layered too. Sometimes large verticals are a chore and you find yourself stuck in a trough when winemaking fashions change. But this collection was punctuated with pleasurable wines so regularly that it was a joy. 1 FLIGHT ONE Coleraine ’82 94 Points First crop. Tea leaves, brick dust and ironstone. Fully mature and graceful. Classic lines. The dusty tannins are a delight. What a first wine! Coleraine ’83 93 Points Less tea leaf, plumper red berry fruit. It’s really quite jubey, black jubes in a lovely form. There’s a hint of bracken and with ripe tannins. A standout for its years. Coleraine ’85 93 Points Very varietal and defined. Firm to finish. The finish is what brings you back. I love the grace of this wine. FLIGHT TWO Coleraine ’87 95 Points Developed nose, dusty and with plenty of classic cedary varietal Cab. Excellent definition – this feels very Bordeaux like in its regal flavours. Regal, mature and in a lovely place. Reminds me of ‘86 Coonawarra. Coleraine ’89 90 Points End of the single vineyard Coleraine, and varietal proportions changed. Less acidity, riper, almost red fruit. Plump fruit and even fuller than the ‘89 with more diffuse tannins. Coleraine ’91 93 Points Dark colour and still looks very primary. It’s a big wine but doesn’t lose its shape through the finish. A ripe wine with soft tannins but good acid balance. A standout and so approachable. FLIGHT THREE Coleraine ’94 95 Points That regal varietal nose. Cedar and a little twinge of leaf. Perfectly poised, Bordeaux-like palate. Even and delicious it’s a great classic Cabernet/Merlot style. 2 Coleraine ’95 91 Points Generous and quite bold. A warm year wine that’s slightly plump in the middle. Coleraine ’96 94 Points In the mode of the style, elegant, spice and quite refreshing energetic acidity. Even and ripe. Classic. Coleraine ’98 94 Points A masculine wine of quite some tannins. Very much a youthful wine too – it’s chunky and powerful – like ’98 Aussies but it retains the definition of tannins like the subtler years. Very good. Coleraine ’01 95 Points Grainy and compact, the tannins are dense and the star of the show here. I really like this even flow of this wine – a powerhouse. So much to come! What a wine. FLIGHT FOUR Coleraine ’04 95 Points ‘A new Coleraine’. Includes replanted material and different vine age. An excellent wine. There’s a flashiness to it, lifted by vanilla buttercake oak, the palate a ripe and masculine style but with some developed edges. No doubting the concentration here. A proper flagship. Coleraine ’06 93 Points Licoricey fruit is supported by masculine tannins and a vague vanilla oak lacquer. Full throttle oak and full flavours but has the structure to carry it off. A classic. Coleraine ’07 95 Points Subtler and has a little black texture, and tapenade complete with a little mint. This feels classic. Not a hair out of place. It’s the very definition of a classic Coleraine. Coleraine ’08 94+ Points Excellent. Still coming together and bound by tannins. A bigger wine than the ’07 but not heavy. 3 Coleraine ’10 95+ Points Poised. Tomato leaf, more acidity and more crunchy red fruit. Medium weight and still coming together. This is in the zone. Will be one of the best. FLIGHT FIVE Coleraine ’11 94 Points Licoricey and welcome-back blackcurrant fruit. Has a certain width to the mid palate. More Franc this year? There are extra bits of bright red fruit and it feels so vivid and bright. Delightful. Coleraine ’13 93 Points Hazelnut and kirsch, it’s a bold and powerful red. Good but very much in a flux. Coleraine ’14 95 Points Classical. Edges of mint here and it’s much more medium weight and cooler. Perfect balance for mine and the acidity feels so perfect. High class. Coleraine ’15 94 Points This feels like a powerhouse. A wine that balances out its tannins with rampant power. A bigger wine after the ’14. Powerful. Coleraine ’16 95 Points Less ripeness, more coiled power. Reminds of the composure of the ’14. Bound up in oak but the kicker is the acid feels natural. More elegance and a real perfect smoothness here. Really generous in its round appeal and seamless tannins. Very fine. One of the best. 4 .