Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay Auckland – 2022

Please note: maximum of 6 bottles per customer

Mate’s Vineyard is Kumeu River’s “Grand Cru” equivalent and produces their finest Chardonnay each vintage. The vineyard is 2.5 hectares in size and was planted in 1990. The grapes are hand-picked, barrel-fermented using wild yeasts, then matured for a further 11 months in barrel on its lees. The wine usually needs at least 2-3 years to reach the start of its drinking window and is taut and crisp in its youth. As it develops, gentle tropical fruit and fine vanilla oak flavours open up, and its vibrant, lively acidity gives it a long drinking window.

“This release marks the 30th vintage for Mate’s Vineyard and continues the amazing run of vintages we have had with this vineyard. The conditions during the 2022 harvest were superb and the fruit from Mate’s Vineyard was ripe and pristine. The resulting wine shows the density,concentration and length that we expect and even though it is somewhat shy on the nose, with bottle age the full palette of complex aromas and bouquet of this wonderful wine will shine through. A fitting 30th vintage.” Michael Brajkovic MW, winemaker

“The nose on this 2022 Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay leads with candied bananas, pineapple husk, white peach and a hint of lychee, and the edges of the aromatics are feathered with  reserved citrus, brine, curry leaf and apple skins. In the mouth, the wine is powered by supercharged fruit; it is crystalline in its way, an  attribute that I have long-since associated with the Chardonnays from Kumeu River. The flavor is sapid and palatestaining, with just enough salt and savory spices in the fruit to make it super complex as well as powerful. It is precisely folded like origami, each crease in service of the overall shape.* A wine that offers much and assumes nothing. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.” 96/100pts Wine Advocate