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Wine Review

Te Mata Showcase 2009

By Raymond Chan
Our yearly look at the new releases from Te Mata Estate was again a well-subscribed one. Despite the tougher economic times, there is still great interest in these classical wines from Te Mata in Hawke’s Bay. Te Mata comes across as of top quality, with class, and a sense of breed and history. Not being followers of fads and fashions, their strength continues despite the growing importance of Pinot Noir to this country and the emergence of the Gimblett Gravels as a notable Hawke’s Bay sub-region as well as Syrah as an exciting varietal, especially from that particular sub-region. Te Mata seems to stand tall above it all, continuing to improve and follow its path set three decades earlier. As a bonus for consumers, Te Mata have dropped their pricing across all their wines. Very few wine producers can or would do that!

This year’s releases presented by Nicholas Buck, proprietor and Peter Cowley, Technical Director, were based on the high quality barrel fermented white wines from 2008, a relook at the 2007 ‘Elston’ Chardonnay, now destined as a wine to be released with extra bottle age, plus the outstanding 2007 red wines. The 2007s continue a fabulous run of favourable vintages of late, and in the opinion of the Te Mata personnel, surpass the exceptional 2005 vintage reds. The tasting of the new release wines was combined with a mini-vertical of the flagship ‘Coleraine’, and this brought back good memories of the superb 25 year celebration event of ‘Coleraine’ conducted last year. Following are my notes on the wines tasted:

Flight One: The New Releases


Joining the line-up of premium wines was the newly designated Te Mata ‘Zara’ Viognier 2008 (18.0+/20) named after the first of the third-generation Buck family at Te Mata. Fermentation and maturation for 8 months in older barrels has resulted in a wine at 13.5% alc. Light straw yellow with some golden hints, this was tight, but voluminous with attractive apricot aromas and flavours and very subtle oak. Soft with good weight and viscosity, this carried no heat from excessive alcohol. Some tasters looked for a little more ripeness, but the balance worked very well.

Next was the Te Mata ‘Cape Crest’ Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (19.0+/20) with 13.0% alc, a blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Semillon and 4% Sauvignon Gris given fermentation and 8 months maturation in new and older oak and a regime of lees stirring. Pale straw colour, this had a full and open bouquet of ripe tropical fruits, herbs and oak spices and a weighty, but soft palate full of tropical fruit and herbal flavours. Excellent depth, concentration, liveliness and already quite approachable. However, this label has proven ability to carry 6-8 years bottle age.

With the release of the 2008 ‘Elston’ destined for winter, we looked at the Te Mata ‘Elston’ Chardonnay 2007 (19.0-/20) again. Fermentation and 9 months aging in new and seasoned oak barrels has resulted in 14.0% alc. An extra year of bottle age has brought this winetogether extremely well. Light straw yellow with golden hues, this was a beautifully elegant expression of harmony with peach, grapefruit, mealy and some malolactic aromas and flavours. The freshness of the wine indicate good life ahead. Some tasters saw a fine Puligny-Montrachet style.

According to Te Mata, the ‘Bullnose’ Syrah continues to improve with depth and concentration as the vines age. They are extremely pleased with the progress and the Te Mata ‘Bullnose’ Syrah 2007 (19.0+/20) is the best since the first vintage in 1992. Three clones used, 16 months maturation in new and seasoned oak has yielded a wine at 13.5% alc, with deep, dark, black and purple hues to ruby red, a softly fine and refined nose with florals, black and red fruits, pepper and spices. With very fine-grained tannins, this is no blockbuster, but elegant and highly concentrated and with great length. The wine has a subtle richness lifting it to a new level.

The one wine that has made a quantum leap is the Te Mata ‘Awatea’ 2007 (19.0/20). Probably the best ‘Awatea’ ever, this is 14.0% alc and a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, aged in new and seasoned French oak for 20 months. Very dark, deep, black, purple red in colour, this had beautifully ripened black and red fruit aromas, classical blackcurrant and cassis and blueberry elements on nose and palate. A wine of great concentration, this had layers of fruit flavours interwoven, with perfect oak background. Classically structured with elegance, yet concentration, and a very long finish. This will handle two decades in the bottle.

Flight Two: Coleraine 2004 – 2007


A fascinating grouping of the four latest vintages of Te Mata’s flagship label. The overriding feature was the consistency of style. The wines are all elegant, rather than over-ripe fruit bombs, or overly tannic and oaked. The different vintage conditions showed distinctly as well.

From a cooler year, the Te Mata ‘Coleraine’ 2004 (18.5+/20) was 14.0% alc, and showed a touch of garnet on colour edge indicating its beginning of secondary development. On nose the savoury, dried herb notes were complex rather than a sign of unripeness. The wine was full and powerfully structured from the extraction, but the style was one of elegance. Good fine-grained tannins contributed to the refined style. This will live another decade plus, easily.

The 2005 vintage yielded Te Mata’s best ever wines – until the 2007 vintage. Perfect growing conditions yielded the Te Mata ‘Coleraine’ 2005 (19.5-/20), with 13.5% alc. It was very dark, purple red in colour, youthful in appearance. Very full and very ripe, this had dark fruit aromas and just a hint of savoury complexity showing. Dense and powerful, the palate was extremely fine-textured, and showed great concentration. This structure kept the richness in check, and thus, elegance of style. Lovely complexities with the layers of flavours. Two decades of life ahead easily.

A warmer than average vintage, 2006 has turned out some great wines in Hawke’s Bay. The Te Mata ‘Coleraine’ 2006 (19.5-/20) with 14.0% alc. was the wine Te Mata celebrated 25 years of the label. It too is another superb effort. Dark purple red in colour, the aromatic nature of the wine distinguishes it from the others in the line-up. Sweet, luscious, perfumed fruits along with a powerful iron core of massive extraction shows the serious nature of this wine. 15 years of cellaring will be possible here.

2007 was the driest growing season in a decade, and the fruit was harvested in perfect conditions. The Te Mata ‘Coleraine’ 2007 (20.0/20) is 14.0% alc and a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 34% Merlot aged for 20 months in 75% new oak. Youthful, purple red in colour, this had beautifully ripened floral notes counterpoised with rich and ripe dark fruit aromas. Lovely spice notes to the perfumes added great interest. However it was the sweetness of the fruit that was magical. Succulent and luscious, with wonderful aromatic character, the huge extraction gave balance and style to the wine. Very refined tannins and great length, this is perfect in the Margaux-style
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DAVID

Easter weekend I flew up to Auckland and had a great time visiting family. I made sure I went to Maison Vauron, a must if you enjoy French wines and also Galbraiths to try a few craft beers.

RICHARD

Roast Chicken for dinner evidently. Which Kumeu River Chardy shall I choose?
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