(2020) Creaminess and spices, lots of punchy apple and pear stone fruits, a touch of residual sugar evident, but it remains very, very fresh and flowing,succulent.
(2020) From one of New Zealand's Chardonnay maestros, this entry level wine for Kumeu River is still hand-harvested and fermented with wild yeasts. Around 25% of fruit comes from Hawke's Bay the rest from the home vineyards north of Auckland. Made in a combination of stainless steel and older oak barrels, and whole-bunch pressed, it is creamy with a touch of oatmeal and spice, creamy apple, but fresh. Crisp on the finish, a touch of exotic fruit comes through on the mid-palate adding some lusciousness. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.
(2020) Oatmeal and crushed almond, even a little touch of hazelnut, A little more richness and texture than the Village, but a similar lime, lemon and grapefruit clarity, a delicious spangle brightness to the fruit and acidity in the finish, showing a little salt and flint. Very stylish.
(2020) From a site that faces directly north and gets more of a tropical fruit character than the citrus and so “Can take heavier oak,” according to Michael Brajkovich. Just a touch of hazelnut and light toast, a pure line of lime fruit again, fabulous acidity, but touching on peach and nectarine-ripe juiciness. More flamboyant, but still taut and precise.
(2020) From a slope above the Maté's vineyard replanted in 2000, this is flecked with green in colour, a little touch of fig, but lots of lime blossom finesse. The palate has such a blast of salinity, sheer and flowing, such gorgeous clarity and that blast of mineral salts. Outstanding.
(2020) Maté Barjkovich's name lives on in this vineyard immediately opposite the winery and family home, all planted with the Mendoza clone. Gorgeous nose, quite opulent and pear and peach, so much vibrant, brilliant fruit and acid, moves into nougat, etched by beautiful acidity, the opulence and ripeness so nicely tempered by that core of structural acid, but delicate, always delicate.
(2020) Nectarine and peachy ripeness, nougat and a little hazelnut. Terrific tangy acid and a long, streaking finish of brilliant clarity. Such a vibrant wine, brilliant, lime rind zest and sheerness. Unfortunately no UK stockists of this great vintage, but Lay & Wheeler have the 2014 at £60 and the 2012 too.
(2020) Some orange here, some seeds and nuts, a little passion fruit note, verging on the exotic, sweet and a touch of botrytis perhaps, giving that extra ounce of intensity, and a fine textured, lightly creamy finish with great acid balance. A couple of stockists have this in magnum at time of writing. Price quoted is for a magnum.
(2020) A little depth of colour here, a touch of dried fruit and aged mushroom and not so aromatically vibrant. Orange and salt, the citrus peel and a little phenolic grip - only a little - perhaps that touch of botrytis richness again right in the finish. No stockists of the 2007 at time of writing, price and stockist given is for the 2009.
(2020) Clear cherry colour and fine aromatics, pale and dry with cranberry, orange and nice briar and twig notes of savouriness. Excellent at its price.
