Coleraine, Te Mata Estate winery 2016

A deep midnight-magenta, Coleraine ’16 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 ’16 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.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
pH: 3.54
Total acidity as tartaric: 5.5g/l
Alcohol: 13.5%
Residual sugar: Dry

WINEMAKING                                                                                                            Each parcel of grapes was destemmed before a traditional warm, plunged fermentation and extended maceration on skins. The resulting wines were then run to predominately new French oak barrels for 17 months’ maturation. Throughout this time, they were regularly topped and racked. The separate wines were blended in January 2017. The finished wine was bottled in December 2017. The final blend is 52% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 15% cabernet franc.

ORIGIN
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. Originally a single vineyard wine, from 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.