2022 | Kumeu River | Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay

Aromas of nuts, gunsmoke and toast frame concentrated stone and tropical fruit. There’s lot of oomph here, but a delicacy of fruit, too. In a polished style, and still very much a baby, this is structured for the long road ahead and should age gracefully for decades to come.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: 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 preserved 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 palate-staining, with just enough salt and savory spices in the fruit to make it super complex as well as powerful.

• James Suckling: Gorgeous precise aromas of apples, white peaches, some minerals, flint and stone. Subtle mangoes, too. Full-bodied but so intense and driven with a salty undertone and a driving finish. Some white pepper at the end with citrus skin. Focused and intense. Great finish.

Producer Information

Kumeu River is a New Zealand wine estate located just outside the town of Kumeu, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) northwest of central Auckland. It is particularly known for its Burgundian-style Chardonnay, of which it produces several expressions. The wines are critical favorites having received various international awards and accolades. Despite being well north of New Zealand's other viticultural regions, Kumeu is kept cool by its proximity to the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. This helps the estate develop aromatics in the early-ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grape varieties. The estate was founded as San Marino Vineyards by the Brajkovich family in 1944, seven years after they had emigrated from Croatia. By the late 1970s it had a solid reputation based on hybrid grape varieties used for fortied wines and everydau reds and whites. In the 1980s, the current generation (Milan, Paul and Michael Brajkovich MW) became more involved. The company transitioned focus to high-quality production, with a focus on Burgundy-inspired Chardonnay. The Kumeu River Wines name was adopted in 1986. In 2014, a landmark blind tasting, involving critics and wine writers from aroud the world, was organized in London by Farr Vintners. It resulted in four of Kumeu's Chardonnay wines (Maté's, Coddington, Hunting Hill and Estate) triumphing over various top white Burgundy producers.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.