Amazing to be recognised again among NZ’s Top Wineries for 2025!
Congratulations to our team! This achievement – published by @therealrvw – reflects a profound amount of work. We’re proud be rising through the ranks, building on what we do everyday.
‘Aotearoa produces premium wine that tops the award charts globally. The country’s cool climate and temperate weather conditions are optimal for growing grapes, allowing for the production of distinct flavour profiles and artisanal high quality. For this reason, many wine enthusiasts will have the first of March pencilled in their calendars, and quite rightly so, as it is the annual release of Te Mata Estate’s flagship Coleraine.
Modern Te Mata Estate is led by CEO Nick Buck (pictured) and Senior Winemaker Phil Brodie (pictured below), who oversee our approach to winemaking. Read an insight from former Te Mata Estate Chairman John Buck (CNZM for Services to Wine and the Arts) on why the estate’s meticulous method is so distinctive.
‘Breed, rather than brute power, is the hallmark of Coleraine, estate-grown in the Havelock North Hills and matured in French oak barriques, predominantly new. This notably graceful red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (80%), merlot (15%) and cabernet franc (5%). Dark and purple-flushed, it is mouthfilling with dense, well-ripened blackcurrent, plum and spice flavours, oak complexity, and a finely structured, very harmonious finish. Best drinking 2030+ (13.5% alc/vol).’ Michael Cooper, The Listener 2025
In the realm of fine wine, Coleraine is Te Mata’s crowning jewel – a cabernet sauvignon that embodies the essenceof the variety’s title: The King of Grapes.The latest vintage, the illustrious 2023, reigns supreme with a level of expression and finesse as robust as its lineage.A stately example of coastal cabernet, the Coleraine ’23 harmonizes intricate varietal notes with an elegant structureand a power that feels both balanced and commanding.
‘In early 2021, Webb’s Auction House made ‘another record-breaking sale’ for Te Mata wines this time including aged Awatea, Elston, Cape Crest and Zara Viognier as well as Coleraine. But by the end of last year, Coleraine was at it again with one of the first ever 1982 vintages going for a staggering $948. Considering that the original bottle had been sold on the shelves for only $15 – it seems to have proved a pretty good investment!’
Next year is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) programme. We are proud to see its success. Te Mata as one of the five wineries to spearheaded by five wineries this in the late 20th century and the first to have vineyards and winery accredited under the system. “The industry leaders were passionate and innovative. They could see the opportunities for an export-focused wine industry. They knew the importance of sustainability to ensure New Zealand wine would be internationally renowned for its premium reputation.”
‘Take for example Te Mata Estate Coleraine – this highly collectable red is snapped up every year it is released.’ Want to age that bottle, but don’t know how to store it? Or for how long? This month in Kia Ora Magazine, Bob Campbell MW writes about ageing New Zealand reds and tasting an older
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“The rating is based on aggregated critic scores across all vintages listed by Wine Searcher … and Coleraine is, indeed, NZ’s best wine” – Don Kavanagh. Editor, Wine Searcher. We are honoured to have our team recognised for their efforts.
Now retired, Peter was formerly the Technical Director at Te Mata Estate. One of New Zealand‘s leading winemakers and was a key figure in the development of Te Mata Estate’s culture of wine excellence. Peter describes himself as “a lover of old vineyards and the wines they produce, and fairly old Japanese motorcycles”.
