Te Mata Alongside World's Great Wine Producers

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L to R Nick & John Buck & Peter Cowley resize

EMBARGOED UNTIL 12.30pm WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 19TH 2008

New Zealand's Te Mata Estate Is Rated Alongside The Great Wine Producers Of The World

New Zealand wines have been rated highly in the rigorously independent international Parker’s Wine Guide, after being ignored for years by this highly regarded & opinionated industry bible. Te Mata Estate, along with four other vineyards, have been given the ultimate “Outstanding Wine” 5 star accolade which positions Te Mata Estate in the rarefied atmosphere of producers of the world’s finest wines.

Five stars were also awarded to Ata Rangi, Felton Road Wines, Pegasus Bay and Rippon. Over 100 other New Zealand wines were rated as excellent or good.

Robert Parker, who is the driving force behind the Wine Guide and his magazine the Wine Advocate, is considered to be the most informed, independent and influential wine commentator in the world. His blessing establishes global reputations and fortunes.

“Twenty years ago Robert Parker was completely dismissive of the New Zealand wine industry and saw no future for it – now we are rated alongside the elite and international classics,” said Founder and Chairman of Te Mata Estate and one of New Zealand’s modern wine pioneers, John Buck announcing the inclusion in Parker’s Guide at a celebration in Auckland.

This acknowledgement will transpose into major global benefits for Te Mata Estate and more broadly the New Zealand wine industry and brand New Zealand.

New Zealand wine writer Michael Cooper says: “Parker enjoys a global reputation and is recognised as a leading authority on the refined reds of Bordeaux. Many commentators (especially those in the UK) perceive Parker as favouring robust, ultra-ripe, super-charged reds at the expense of others that show greater delicacy and finesse, but the good news is that Te Mata Coleraine is definitely in the second category, placing its accent on breed, rather than brute power. No-one challenges the fact that Parker is highly influential and his total independence has not been challenged.”

John Buck sees this as an important milestone for Te Mata Estate and for New Zealand wine as a brand as he believes that New Zealand’s premium wines have until now been a well kept secret.

“Robert Parker shows no favor and is beholden to no –one as he does not take advertising for any of his publications and ignores wine awards – he and his colleagues base their judgment solely on the true quality of the wines they taste, in the worldwide wine industry they are the epitome of integrity.”

Te Mata Estate’s flagship wine ‘Coleraine’, is widely regarded as New Zealand’s greatest red wine and this year celebrated the 25 years with ‘Coleraine’ 2006. Te Mata Estate set out to create a premium brand of wine and John Buck always considered the longterm view the key to achieving that success.

Te Mata Estate exports 50% of their wine to 22 different countries with Australia, UK and Russia being the main

“We are capable of producing high quality products in New Zealand and creating brilliant brands, that is what Te Mata Estate set out to do and I believe that is the way brand New Zealand needs to be viewed, protected and nurtured - we have great intrinsic value that the rest of the world admires and we need to foster that,” continued John Buck.

Robert Parkers Wine Advocate commented on ‘Coleraine’ – “One forgets just how fine New Zealand’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends can be, particularly in Hawkes Bay…….notably Te Mata Estate’s brilliant ‘Coleraine’ whose roots penetrate the Havelock North Hills.”

Neil Martin who writes for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and tasted in New Zealand says of ‘Coleraine’ “I conjectured whether this is New Zealand’s greatest wine? Well let me put it this way, it is the frontrunner.”

This year 25 years of Coleraine was celebrated with the current vintage of Coleraine 2006 with a weekend of celebrations in the Hawkes Bay.

Te Mata Estate’s other brands are Awatea, Elston, Cape Crest and Bullnose.
http://www.temata.co.nz/index.php

ENDS

CRITICS ON ROBERT PARKER

“Parker is a revolutionary……..there is hardly another critic now who counts” The Atlantic Monthly

“His tasting skills are so respected (and feared!) that Bordeaux prices fluctuate with Parker’s annual vintage-quality pronouncements. A thumbs-up after his exhaustive tastings of wine still in the barrels means prices will climb: a lack of enthusiasm sends prices downward”. San Francisco Chronicle

“No-one does this better, more objectively and more reliably than Parker, which is what makes him the most indispensable man, and indeed the champion of today’s consumer.” The Washington Post

BACKGROUND
http://www.erobertparker.com/info/rparker.asp

TE MATA ESTATE

Established in 1896 Te Mata Estate is one of New Zealand’s oldest wine producers and has always been family owned.

The Buck and Morris families purchased it in the mid-1970’s and it remains a family business with John son’s Nick and Jonathan involved.

The focus of wine production is on the very highest levels of quality which has resulted in Te Mata Estate wines enjoying a reputation at the very forefront of New Zealand’s wine quality.

All wine production is from the fruit of their own vineyards and all processes are handled by Te Mata Estate to ensure quality is maintained.

BIOGRAPHY – JOHN BUCK CHAIRMAN OF TE MATA ESTATE

John is the inaugural President of the newly declared Republic of Havelock North, bon vivant, raconteur and fierce advocate for the possibilities of brand New Zealand.

He is also one of New Zealand’s modern pioneers of the wine industry, and one of the most passionate promoters for New Zealand wine worldwide.

A commentator, columnist and wine judge in Australia and New Zealand he established the Poet Laureate for New Zealand which has now been taken over by the National Library of New Zealand and he has remained on the advisory committee.
Presently Chairman of the Hawkes Bay Opera House which has recently been fully restored, he is a founding director of the Hawkes Bay Regional Council and has been Chairman of the New Zealand Wine Institute and Hawkes Bay Vintners.

He has been a consultant to Air New Zealand for over 20 years.

He was awarded the 1990 Commemoration Medal for Services to New Zealand, an OBE for services to the wine industry, and a Fellowship of the Wine Institute of New Zealand.

COMMENTARY ON THE WINE

Neal Martin who writes for Parker tasted every vintage of ‘Coleraine’ from 1991 to 2006 in NZ and London. His comments were:

“After completing two verticals of ‘Coleraine” witnessing a couple of tasters undergo their Te Mata epiphany, I conjectured whether this is New Zealand’s greatest wine? Well, le me put it this way, it is the front runner.”

“Both wines confirm Coleraine’s reputation as New Zealand’s benchmark Bordeaux-blend wine and in terms of quality, I would have no hesitation placing it within the class of Bordeaux Second Growths.”

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