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Wine Review

Te Mata Showcase 2008

By Raymond Chan
The annual Te Mata Showcase took on a special significance this year, as it celebrated the 25th release of ‘Coleraine’ the flagship red for Te Mata, and one of this country’s iconic wines. No other producer has such a track record of consistent quality at the top level in this country. This year’s showcase was also the release of both white and red wines from two highly regarded back-to-back vintages, and this made the release a very strong one. The 2007 white wines and 2006 reds showed their quality.

As has become a feature of the Te Mata Showcase events, back vintages of wines were served to demonstrate their ability to develop with bottle age. This year, ‘Elston’ Chardonnay and ‘Awatea’ were presented this way. Proprietors John and Nicholas Buck, and Technical Director Peter Cowley combined in a complementary introduction and discussion, which invariably led to the forthcoming 25 year vertical tasting of ‘Coleraine’, to be held in May. A good number of the attendees at the showcase managed to obtain tickets to this historical event, and a report on the tasting will be made at a later date.
Here are my notes on the wines tasted at the 2008 Te Mata Estate Showcase:

2007 Vintage Whites


Lovely fresh wines, showing a youthful coolness that should provide great elegance over time.

Te Mata ‘Woodthorpe’ Viognier 2007
14.0% alc, fruit from the ‘Woodthorpe’ vineyard, WBP, mainly BF in older French oak, with 8 months maturation, some S/S, partial MLF. Pale straw yellow with very pale edge to the colour. Very fresh, intense apricotty nose with blossom and zest lift. Tight, with a cool nectarine aroma. Dry, this has soft, rounded textures and ripe apricot and blossom fruit flavours. Lowish acidity adds to the approvability and accentuates the richness and body. Yet this has power underneath. 18.0+/20

Te Mata ‘Cape Crest’ Sauvignon Blanc 2007
13.5% alc, 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 13% Semillon, 2% Sauvignon Gris, destemmed, 6 hours skin contact, BF in seasoned French oak, 5 months in oak. Very pale straw yellow with green hues. Fresh nose with ripe Sauvignon fruit, gooseberries and lantana with herbs. Rich and lush smelling, the oak presence is significant. Dry, this has excellent depth of herbs and nettley fruit flavours. There is depth and richness, and some phenolic grip. Fresh acidity, but the density and concentration shine. Oak with some toasty notes showing is in good balance with the powerful fruit. 18.5+/20

‘Elston’ Chardonnay


Interestingly, the older wines were near the end of their drinking window. The oldest showing signs of oxidation while still possessing good qualities too. Five years bottle age seems to be an ideal time to reach a plateau.

Te Mata ‘Elston’ Chardonnay 2000
14.0% alc, WBP, BF, 11 months in oak, 100% MLF. Dry growing season with small berry sizes. Light golden yellow colour, with depth. Full, broad nose, nutty and showing some oxidative characters. Drying on palate, this is tight with density of nutty, mealy, citrussy fruit with some oxidation. Yet there is interest, complexity and richness. The acidity is positive and provides some good length. However, the oxidation does show here. Not the best bottle tasted, but drink up. 17.5/20

Te Mata ‘Elston’ Chardonnay 2002
14.0% alc, 100% Mendoza clone, HP, fruit fome vineyards adjacent to winery, WBP, BF, 10 months in oak, 100% MLF. Very long, warm and dry autumn allowed extended hang time for optimum maturity. Light straw yellow with a little gold. Rich textured nose, elegant and fine with ripe tropical fruits and a density. There is good breadth to the aromas. Very white burgundian-like with hazelnut flavours. The palate is fine featured with its ripe mealy fruit and subtle oak sweetness, There is good richness, and there is still plenty to unfold. 18.5+/20

Te Mata ‘Elston’ Chardonnay 2007
14.0% alc, WBP, BF in new and seasoned French oak, 9 months maturation, 100% MLF. Straw yellow with youthful green hues. Very fine, very tightly bound nose, quite elegant with mealy, nutty aromas and fresh stonefruits. On palate very fine-grained and tightly bound. Elegantly sized with citrus flavours, the acidity gives crispness and cut. This has real density and concentration of cool grapefruit and citrus flavours. Oak very subtle and in harmony. Still very youthful, the finesse is the feature. Good potential. 18.5/20

2006 Vintage Red


A high quality vintage showing bold, ripe fruit, especially in the Syrah and ‘Awatea’ wines. The ‘Coleraine’ is built for the longer term, thus tightly bound.

Te Mata ‘Bullnose’ Syrah 2006
13.5% alc, three clones of Syrah, fruit from the ‘Bullnose’ vineyard, destemmed, 16 months in new and seasoned French barriques. Dark, deep purple red colour. Rich, open ripe black pepper and spice aromas leap out of the glass, real depth and warmth of berried fruits. Very supple and fine textured on the palate, this has flavours of spices, pepper and liquorice, along with plums, prunes, herbs and florals. The fruit expression is pronounced and intense, and has great depth, yet retains elegance. This will live well. 19.0+/20

‘Awatea’


Very Bordeaux in structure and style, the consistency of the ‘Awatea’ label is hidden by the glamour of the ‘Coleraine’. A bargain considering its closeness to the ‘Coleraine’.

Te Mata ‘Awatea’ Cabernet/Merlot 1998
13.7% alc, 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot. 14 months in barriques. The hottest year experienced at Te Mata Estate, very dry. Very dark, deep, black red. Huge, powerful nose, dense and concentrated, quite massive with ripe black fruits showing some secondary earthy complexities. Rich and powerful on the palate, with weight and great concentration. Ripe, with savoury dark berry and earthy flavours, quite secondary here. A robustness and with medium length on the finish. The wine will live for years from its sheer depth and size. 18.5-/20

Te Mata ‘Awatea’ Cabernet/Merlot 2000
13.0% alc, 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 31% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 12 months in new and older barrels. Dry growing season with small berry sizes. Dark, dense, black hued red colour. Fresh blackcurrant and herb nose, good liveliness, but some secondary aromas appearing. A little animal bretty aspects, and very Bordeaux-like. Elegant and fine textured on the palate, this is supple and well proportioned. Clean and fine featured, this has finesse in the Bordeaux look-alike style. This should keep well. 18.5+/20

Te Mata ‘Awatea’ Cabernet/Merlot 2006
13.0% alc, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, 20 months in new and seasoned oak barrels. Black hued purple ruby red colour. Plummy nose with ripe jammy
notes to the primary fruit, luscious, exuberant. Very fine-grained on palate, the juiciness and ripe jammy flavours are prominent. Sweet,
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