Alma Pinot Noir 2018

One of New Zealand’s top wineries, Te Mata, under the leadership of chief executive Nick Buck and veteran winemaker Phil Brodie, continues to set the pace in Hawke’s Bay. While Coleraine—the winery’s flagship red blend—deservedly gets most of the headlines, the Bullnose Syrah and the deftly wooded white wines are also near the top of the heap. The barrel-fermented Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc (which includes small amounts of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris) is a dead ringer for a top Pessac-Leognan, while the Estate Vineyards Gamay Noir is the sort of reasonably priced, delightful quaffer I’d be happy to drink on a regular basis. While the 2017 and 2018 vintages weren’t without weather-related challenges, Brodie said, We think we had a great streak from ’13 to ’16…. 2017 was a challenging year, we won’t release a Bullnose [Syrah], but Chardonnay is a highlight. And we love 2018.