When they arrived John, Nick, Larry and Phil were chuffed to finally have their new vines out of the nursery and at the winery. All the way from France these are specialist cabernet clones that will add to our blending potential.
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A slice of history: the link between Te Mata and Yarra Yering
A slice of history: the link between Te Mata and Yarra Yering
Huon Hooke, The Real Review
It’s a rare event that the founder of Te Mata Estate winery in Hawke’s Bay, John Buck CNZM OBE, now in his 80s, calls me up on the phone. He wanted to tell me about his friendship with Dr Bailey Carrodus, the founder of Yarra Yering winery in the Yarra Valley.
John had seen that I would be co-hosting an Australia versus New Zealand dinner for The Real Review in Sydney, which is to have a stunning climax in the form of two very high-scoring cabernet blends: Te Mata Estate 2022 Coleraine and Yarra Yering 2021 Dry Red Wine No. 1. The dinner is in a fortnight’s time.
John wanted me to know that Bailey Carrodus was originally from Hastings, in Hawke’s Bay, which is near the Te Mata winery.
“Bailey was a native of Hawke’s Bay and his cousin Tony Bone is still living here. I still see him from time to time. They still have a premium hardware and kitchen range business of many decades of history—F.L. Bone & Son, in Hastings, with branches in Queenstown and Auckland.”
“Bailey went from the DSIR in New Zealand to its equivalent in Australia, the CSIRO, and later went on to establish Yarra Yering. On my trips to Melbourne, I used to visit James and Suzanne Halliday, first in South Yarra then at Coldstream Hills which they were then establishing next door to Yarra Yering. I used to act as a sort of courier taking things from Bailey to his family in New Zealand and vice versa. I remember one time I went to dinner at his house and he cooked roast wild duck, which he served on platters with a silver cloche over each duck, and he wore a green velvet smoking jacket. He was such a gentleman, softly spoken and elegant.”
John admired Bailey and his cleverly thought-out winery, with its small one-tonne fermenters which he could move around with a pallet truck, so he could do all the winery work himself. “He gave me a few tips when I was setting up Te Mata.”
John Buck retired quite a few years back but according to chief winemaker Phil Brodie he still pops in to the winery most days.
It’s pure coincidence that both men were best known for their cabernet sauvignon-based Bordeaux blends, and serendipitous that these wines are to be served side by side at The Real Review’s Australia v New Zealand dinner on April 16.
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Get the latest Coleraine Vintage Before It Sells Out
Get the Latest Coleraine Vintage Before It Sells Out
Te Mata Estate makes some fantastic vintages. Last year we recommended the Coleraine ’21, and it has since subsequently sold out (according to their site right now).
Available March 1st is the Coleraine ’22, which according to early reviews maintains the prestige of its predecessor. Critic Huon Hooke of The Real Review, suggests that “Coleraine ’22 has tremendous persistence and wonderful structure. A great wine, that will richly reward long-term cellaring.”
The Coleraine has always been a prestige piece for Te Mata, showcasing the greatness of their cabernet sauvignon on display at the highest level since the legendary ’82, the inaugural Coleraine. The ultimate statement of Te Mata’s multi-vineyard, sub-regional blending philosophy, Coleraine represents the natural harmony between cabernet vines and the soil and climate of Hawke’s Bay. Cabernet sauvignon dominant, supported by merlot and cabernet franc, Coleraine is recognised as one of the world’s great wines and a key chapter in the ever-growing New Zealand fine wine story.
The Coleraine ’22 is a very special vintage as it coincides with Te Mata’s celebration of a half-century in business. New Zealand’s wine industry is a young one, but we easily hold our own against the old country. With the steady hands of John Buck, Michael Bennett (winemaker) and Michael Morris to present day – Nick Buck, Phil Brodie (winemaker) and Alastair Morris Te Mata has been a part of that story.
To be the first to pick up a bottle when it releases and to stay up to date and get invited to exclusive events from Te Mata you should definitely join their Te Mata Club here.
Isaac Taylor, M2
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Toby Buck joins the Vintners Company
A first for New Zealand
Last week, together with a group of other new members, Toby Buck joined The Vintners’ Company in London, the very first New Zealander to be invited in the 661-year history of this institution. It was made even more special that Toby was able to share the occasion with John Buck, who was visiting from New Zealand to attend.
The Vintners’ Company received its first Royal Charter in 1363 and is known as the Spiritual Home of the International Wine Trade. With its origins steeped in the history of the City of London and the import, regulation and sale of wine, the Company maintains strong links with the wine industry. The Vintners’ Company boasts a rich tapestry of historical connections with the wine trade, spanning centuries as one of London’s oldest and most influential livery companies. Its origins as a guild dedicated to regulating wine quality and trade in medieval times have evolved into a contemporary institution that continues to uphold and celebrate the traditions of the wine industry. Its current trade, social, charitable and educational interests, means the Company continues to play an important role in the 21st century. The Company’s principal charitable vehicle is the Vintners’ Foundation, which provides assistance to charities concerned with the relief of the poor, destitute and homeless in Greater London.
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Te Mata Estate wine selection served at Dinner for Former President Obama …
Te Mata Estate was proud to serve our wines at an exclusive dinner for former US President Barack Obama. Te Mata’s CEO Nick Buck attended the event, where Bullnose Syrah and Elston Chardonnay were poured. The wines were among a small group chosen for the event, selected to promote New Zealand’s finest – run by event co-organisers Air New Zealand.
“It’s a great endorsement for New Zealand wine as a whole but Hawke’s Bay in particular, and the wonderful wines we grow in this region. When people select the very best of New Zealand wine, so often they end up coming to Hawke’s Bay. I think he’s come to represent an America that was very outward looking and inclusive, and extremely diplomatic in its world standing. He did tremendous thing for global trade, global peace and prosperity.”
The dinner’s MC is poet laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh, an award Te Mata Estate established in 1997.
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2022 Experience Reaped Rewards
A memorable, incredibly early vintage, with significant highlights and some challenging moments. It resulted in wines with great varietal expression, restraint, tension, power, and length.
Winter – Spring
Winter was warm and dry. This led to an early bud burst and the earliest veraison in the last 30 years.Summer – Autumn
Early summer we experienced a healthy amount of rain giving fully saturated soils, which lead to strong vine growth and full canopies for ripening. Then over two months a rapid accumulation of
Growing Degree Days (GDD), with a record number of days above 30 degrees Celsius, lead to a record high GDD for this time of year. Vine stress came in mid-late summer – at a critical time of the season – to produce small berries with balanced canopies. Despite a rain event just before harvest and another late season with only a few blocks left to pick, we were able to pick quality fruit. This coupled with a huge amount of early vineyard work and the employment of some new viticultural practices, created the foundation to make to make some great wines.Harvest
Logistically, it was a challenging harvest working around Covid regulations and team health. Except for a few blocks at the start of the harvest (which showed signs of being fragile and needed to be
picked earlier than normal), fruit condition this year looked very good. Walking the vineyards daily, sampling, visualizing, and tasting was paramount.Nature can be capricious; however, it is precisely the succession of vintages – each so different and unique – that gives Hawke’s Bay and Te Mata’s wines their interest.
The whites are balanced with intense varietal expression, natural acidity, and length.
The reds are also balanced, from the scented notes and moreish acidity of Gamay Noir through to Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the highlights of the vintage, so noble with pedigree, both fine and
dense at the same time; they are deeply coloured with great varietal complexity, acidity, and tannins. We are excited about the assemblage tastings to come.Conclusions and notes of significance
• Exceptionally early bud burst.
• The earliest veraison of reds I can recall.
• A huge amount of work done in the vineyard prior to the New Year, by hand and with
our new tractor herd.
• Small berries from low crops.
• Coordination of up to five handpicking teams.
• A challenging harvest with two large rain events leading to some early picks from fragile
crops.
• Heat and record GDD’s before harvest at a critical time.
• The use of two hand-harvested processing lines.
• The R&D work done over the last number of years in the vineyards and winery, literally
coming to fruition.
• And, yet again, the importance of:
o estate-owned vineyards and setting our own standards for quality.
o geographic spread with multiple varieties across four Hawke’s Bay sub-regions.
o experienced personnel in both the vineyard and winery.Download the Technical Report from Te Mata’s Senior Winemaker Phil Brodie here…
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Rare Coleraine Vertical Donated to Charity
Hawke’s Bay wine auction donated rare set of Te Mata Coleraine
As published in NZ Herald, September 2022:
A “remarkable” 26-bottle set of Te Mata Estate Coleraine vintage wines will go under the hammer at the 30th Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction.
The in-person event is being held on September 17 at Toitoi HB Arts and Events Centre and includes bespoke, one-off wines from some of the most prestigious wineries in Hawke’s Bay, collaborations between winemakers, luxury accommodation and restaurants, and a travel package.
The auction also has a feature art piece, which this year is by John Lancashire.
One of the biggest draws is set to be a 26 vintage vertical of Te Mata Estate Coleraine, which has been generously contributed by sponsors Isaacs Plumbing, Pumping and Electrical.
This Te Mata Coleraine vertical of 26 vintages covers the span of 1994 to 2020 (minus non-producing 2012).
Since the release of the first vintage in 1982, Te Mata Coleraine has established itself as one of New Zealand’s greatest red wines, its annual release always selling out.
In March 2021, a single 750ml bottle of Te Mata Coleraine sold for more than $1000, a new record for any NZ wine at a commercial auction.
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Vintage 2022 is Underway
Starting Monday 21st February, our new harvest is underway.
It’s been an early start and plain-sailing so far. Our thanks, as always, to our amazing picking team.
They’ve been called the ‘Vintage Army’ but they’re even more than that. They know our vineyards and our wines. They’re Te Mata specialists. Right now they’re out in full force!
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Bob Campbell MW – Bullnose ’20
98 points. Deep, purple-tinted syrah with a wonderfully fine-grained, perfectly-pitched texture. Flavours include cassis, plum, dark berries, anise, black pepper, floral and red rose together with spicy oak. A very impressive wine
Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, January 2022 
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Huon Hooke – Coleraine ’20
Very deep, bold, bright purple/red colour, the aromas similarly impressive for their concentration and vibrancy. The wine is super-concentrated and loaded with drying, savoury tannins that add a smidgin of bitterness that helps cleanse the aftertaste, which is formidably long. A sensational cabernet blend, gorgeously flavoured and perfumed, profound and lingering. It has the intensity and structure to age long-term. The patient will be handsomely rewarded.
Huon Hooke, The Real Review, December 2021 
