TE MATA

Established in the early 1890s, Te Mata is New Zealand's oldest winery and, like Villa Maria and Babich, proudly family-owned. In the last thirty-odd years, Te Mata Estate have established themselves as a leading force in New Zealand wine, with John Buck's Te Mata Coleraine acknowledged globally as one of New Zealand's finest red wines, their Bullnose Syrah considered one of New Zealand's finest examples, and their Elston Chardonnay garnering huge acclaim.

While a family-operated winery, it is the team at Te Mata Estate that ensure this winery remains at the top of the game: you have Phil Brodie's exceptional winemaking skills and CEO Nick Buck’s drive and dedication to the expansion of a proud legacy. Three generations of the Buck family work here, and Te Mata Estate regularly work in the Bordeau and Burgundy to gain experience.

The remarkable consistency that Te Mata Estate has achieved for over thirty-five years is attributable to their control over every aspect of winemaking and, importantly, the longevity of their team. CEO Nicholas Buck explains: "All grapes are harvested exclusively from estate vineyards; we don't source fruit from any other region and our wines are made, matured and bottled on-premise. We have retained an excellent team that have worked together managing the vineyards and the winemaking, vintage after vintage."

Growing up on the land in northern Hawkes Bay, Phil has a natural love and appreciation of the local terrior, the climate, rivers, soil and sea, and its immense contribution to wine. He combines this understanding with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Wine Science. He joined the Te Mata Estate team in 1992 and has had vintage experiences at Clos des Lombrays, Burgundy and at Chateau Margaux, Bordeaux. Phil is also a Senior Wine Judge and an extreme wine junky. He is married to Leanne and has two children, Benjamin and Hannah.