This is a very good value, dry, medium bodied red from the country's second biggest wine region, Hawke's Bay, where the Babich family owns significant vineyard land. It's a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon whih reflects Hawke's Bay's vineyard plantings because Merlot is the most planted variety and it adds softness and flesh to the great structure that Cabernet provides. Babich Wines is one of New Zealand's oldest wine companies and remains in the hands of the same family whose ancestor, Josip Babich, founded it. 

Celebre is a quirky Rhone-meets-Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Exact proportions of each grape vary from one vintage to the next but the wine always has dark fruit aromas and spicy notes of cocoa, cardamom and nutmeg. It drinks well when young and also has the long term potential to age beautifully in a wine cellar. 

It is dry, full bodied and evolves nicely for up to a decade.

The name Ata Rangi is Maori for dawn sky and was chosen to portray the new beginning that the start of this winery represented for founder Clive Paton in the late 1970s.  

Chateau Peymouton has a deep ruby colour with  delicious aromas of blackcurrant and plum. On the palate the attack is powerful, with fine, silky tannins followed by notes of ripe red fruits and a lingering, subtle freshness on the finish of this wine.

Stone Paddock is a fleshy, dry, full bodied red, modelled on the best from Bordeaux. The blend is Merlot 73%, Cabernet Franc 14%, Cabernet Sauvignon 7.5% and Malbec 5% and is a prime example of great red wine made from the stony soils of Hawke’s Bay. Highly scented plum, blackberry and cassis aromas with hints of five spice, cedar and fine spicy oak. Dark fruit flavours of plum and blackberries are accentuated by lifted ripe aromas of spice and a beautifully balanced tannic structure. 

Coleraine is the flagship wine of Te Mata Estate in Hawke’s Bay and is one of New Zealand’s most highly collectible and highly valued red wines. It was first made in 1989 as a single vineyard wine and has since forged a reputation for its long term ageability and great quality as a blend from valued vineyards in the hills of Havelock. This area is historically important in the New Zealand wine industry because it is home to some of the country's first grapevines ever planted in 1892. 

Coleraine vineyards    

The 2019 Coleraine was made from hand harvested grapes grown on several vineyards owned by Te Mata Estate, which were picked between 26 March and 10 April 2019.                                                                                                      

Each individual pick of grapes was destemmed before being given a traditional warm, plunged fermentation followed by extended maceration on skins. The resulting wines were then pressed mostly to new French oak barrels for 16 months of maturation with regular topping and racked. The blend was made in January 2020 and the finished wine was bottled in December 2020. 

Coleraine blend

Change is the only constant in Coleraine, which varies each year in terms of exact percentages of each grape variety used in the wine. It is always a blend of red grapes which traditionally come from Bordeaux in south west France. These varieties also do well in Hawke's Bay hot dry summer climate where balance is provided by the region's cool nights. 

The 2019 Coleraine is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.                                                                                            

History of the wine and the name... Coleraine
The name Coleraine comes from the Coleraine vineyard situated on the land which is home of John and Wendy Buck of Te Mata Estate. John’s late grandfather was born in Coleraine in Northern Ireland, which originally inspired the name. 

The first vintage of Coleraine was in 1989 Coleraine has been an assemblage of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest vineyards on the Havelock Hills.

Reviews for 2019 Coleraine

"An iconic brand meets a terrific vintage. The result is a “must have” wine for collectors and investors. This is elegance on a grand scale and one of the best vintages I’ve tasted. Still youthful and quite closed (it was bottled on the day I tasted it) but with plushness and power."  Bob Campbell. February 2021

Dry red wine from the Graves AOC. This is a rich, ripe wine with dark plum, spice and woody notes on the nose. The palate is very concentrated and is defined by its ripe red fruits and smoky intensity.

The primary grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, which is balanced by Merlot and Cab Franc. These varieties, along with the incredibly gravelly soils which gave the region it’s name, give you an extremely earthy wine with plenty of power and character.

The nose has notes of dark fruit, damp grass, mushroom and crushed stones. The palate continues the trend but adds mouth drying tannins; dark fruit character comes through. The finish is slightly herbaceous with notes of toasted cedar.
 A great glimpse of Graves at a great price.

A complex aroma of black plum and cocoa, black olive, with fine cedary notes and hints of leather, star anise, clove and aromatic spices. The palate is plush and rich, with seamless tannins and concentrated black Doris plum flavours, complex spice notes and a long savoury finish. This wine will improve with cellaring.

Coonawarra is one of Australia's famous Cabernet Sauvignon regions and home to 100% of the grapes used to make this full bodied, well structured, dry red, which is produced by winemaker Corey Ryan and Nicholas Crampton. They collectively aim to make great value wines that over deliver and shine a new light on classic styles. If this wine is any indication, they totally succeed - we sell stacks of this and one sip will show you why. 

This cheeky little quaffer has a fresh and fragrant nose of red fruits and toasty elments. The palate is supple and balanced with silky tannins and further notes of red fruit.

In the heart of the Bordeaux vineyard, Chateau Carbonneau is situated 20 kilometres from St Emilion and 35 kilometres from Bergerac. In a unique and idyllic setting, the chateau offers luxury accommodation and fine wines on the slopes of Pessac sur Dordogne.

Shortly after 1992, Wilfrid and Jacquie Franc de Ferriere inherited the property and began by replanting the vineyard with grape varieties typical of the Bordeaux region, especially Merlot which grows well on the slopes of Gensac. Thus began the revival of wine at Carbonneau. The Vineyard covers 15 hectares planted on the clay/limestone soils of the slopes of Gensac.

The Cover Drive is named after the Penola cricket ground on the southern boundary of Coonawarra in South Australia. This famous cricket ground was retired in 1996 and Jim Barry bought the land to plant with grapes. This full bodied, dark and smooth red wine is the result. It's earthy, smooth and has complex flavours of black olives, dried herbs and bold blackcurrant notes. It drinks well when young and can also age for four to five years, evolving interesting savoury notes as it does. 

From the talented hand of John Quarisa using grapes from Coonawarra in South Australia.

Approachable, easy going and versatile, this wine has a nose of fresh, complex cassis and mint fruit flavours with some well integrated vanillin oak. The palate is full bodied with dense ripe cassis fruit flavours balanced with vanillin oak but yet long and smooth. This wine has the flavour, structure and balance to be enjoyed now but can benefit from further cellaring.

Hill & Valley is all about highlighting the ripe and balanced flavours of great wines, such as this full bodied red, from the warmth of the Barossa Valley in South Australia. From the cooler Adelaide Hills to the elevated Eden Valley vineyards to those situated on the Barossa Valley floor, these ancient soils provide the base for great wines that speak of their origins.

"Dense with a bright red edge, there are dark brooding fruit aromas with hints of blueberry and choc-mint. The palate is medium-bodied with blue fruit and fine grained tannins for a very soft finish."