Te Mata
Coleraine, Hawke’s Bay
First produced in 1982, Coleraine is New Zealand’s most famous red wine. Coleraine derives its name from the Coleraine vineyard, home of John and Wendy Buck of Te Mata Estate. John’s late grandfather was born in Coleraine in Northern Ireland and the name has been maintained through the family home to the wine. A single vineyard wine until 1989, Coleraine is an assemblage of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards first planted in 1892.
Vintage Factsheets
Coleraine derives its name from the Coleraine vineyard, home of John and Wendy Buck of Te Mata Estate. Coleraine is an assemblage of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards first planted in 1892.
The Havelock Hills are the heart of Te Mata Estate’s wine production and home to the winery. Te Mata Estate has five sites on these free draining, north-facing slopes, including the 1892 vineyard – one of New Zealand’s oldest vineyards, originally called the Hill Block. Soils to the east of the property are predominantly sandy loam over a sandstone base. Towards the west are sandy loam over clay and silica. The distinctive terrain lies at the intersections of two tectonic plates, which has paved the landscape of steep and gentle sloping terraces, ideal for grape-growing.
The Havelock Hills Vineyards are renowned for producing wines with great balance, power and elegance. In 1996 the Havelock Hills area was recognized for the significance of its natural and viticultural heritage when it was designated the Te Mata Special Character Zone. This legally protected the hills from development and created the first wine appellation in New Zealand.
- Region
- Hawke's Bay
- Appellation
- Hawke's Bay
- Varietal Composition
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
- Aging
- 17 months in predominately new French oak barrels.
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
A deep midnight-magenta, Coleraine is symphonic in its harmony and presence. The aromatics are immediately varietal with grace notes of cassis, raspberry leaf, fresh roses, dark chocolate, lifted black cherry, espresso and cedar.
The palate deepens the opening theme. There’s tapenade, darkest blackberry and ripe plum while underneath, quietly, a precise, profound tannin structure resonates.
Powerful, deep-set, graceful and complex, Coleraine is refined to an exquisite point while still retaining freshness and balance. It lingers after tasting. Layered and composed, resplendent and resolved, a gloriously seductive ensemble celebratory of all that fine New Zealand wine can be.
Wine Advocate
97+ Points
2022
"The 2022 Coleraine is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. On the nose, the wine shows its sweet creamy oak, a cavalcade of dark fruit and an array of spices. The wine is powdery and ultra fine, with a gravelly score of tannin woven through the finish. A spectacular wine, it's still looking so primary and young at this early stage. I note the total acidity is akin to the 2013 vintage, and it serves to add an extra layer of freshness to the finish—a little uptick to close, if you will. This is awesome. It gets better every time I taste it."
— Erin Larkin, 2025
