KUMEU RIVER MATE’S VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023
| Grape: | Chardonnay |
| Vineyard: |
Kumeu River |
| Vintage: | 2023 |
| Origin: | North Canterbury, New Zealand |
| ABV%: | 12.5% |
| Colour: | Pale Straw |
| Aromas: | Hints of peach, lemon, grapefruit and minerals |
| Flavours: | Fruit flavours of white peach, nectarine, lemon and minerals. Notes of toasted hazelnuts and oak. |
In 1990, Maté Brajkovich reworked the land and planted a new vineyard of Chardonnay vines on the site of the original vineyard that he and his family purchased in March 1944. The first grapes from this vineyard were harvested in March 1993, the year following Maté's death. The resulting wine was released in November 1994 to coincide with celebrations marking the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Brajkovich Family's arrival at Kumeu River.
The concentration and density of Mate’s Vineyard shines through in this wine even though the 2023 vintage was lighter with a moderate alcohol of 12.5%. No new oak was used in the vinification due to the lighter yields but there was a high proportion of 1 - 2 year old barrels which means the oak feel to this wine is similar to other vintages The vine age of Mate’s Vineyard, now 33 years, contributes to the inherent quality and reputation of this wine and we are confident that bottle age of up to ten years will be beneficial.
Reviews
Jancis Robinson - 17.5/20
"A 2.49-ha vineyard planted in 1990 with Mendoza clone. There is some leafroll which delays ripening a little. Hand-picked. Whole-bunch pressed. Spontaneous fermentation. 100% barrel-fermented in used French oak. 100% malo and 11 months’ maturation in barrel. Bigger in dimension than the others. Sweeter on the initial impression and then it tightens up. Less obviously rich than some previous vintages, presumably because of the wetter vintage. Still quite closed but with great density and a savoury finish. You can almost taste little particles in it! Should last extremely well. JR"