This time of year calls for a trip out west to the annual release day of the latest single vineyard (and Estate) Chardonnays from Kumeu River. I’m fortunate that this excellent producer is less than half an hour drive from my door. As I arrive there’s a glass of Kumeu River Crémant – the rather excellent Kumeu sparkling wine. They’ve been carefully building up stocks of reserve wines for this. The dosage is trialled every year until a level is agreed upon – and this version from Magnum has a lovely creaminess to the palate that balances well with the tangy acidity.
Paul Brajkovich (Marketing, Sales and Exports) introduces the family who are all present – Michael, the winemaker; Marijiana who looks after finances and marketing – and organising her three brothers; Milan, who has been the Viticultural Manager since 1986; and of course, Melba, the Matriarch who keeps an eye on it all and has been here since 1958 – still to be seen around the Cellar Door daily and telling stories – “some of which may be true” adds Paul.
For the 2024 harvest, quantities are around thirty percent down – Coddington is particularly affected, with the vintage already sold out. there won’t even be any at the Cellar Door next week. A weather event at flowering – cold and wet – was not good timing. The leaf roll virus and trunk disease at Coddington is also not helping. As it is a leased vineyard, the family can’t afford to put too much resources – like replanting – in, so in some places, the canopy is simply being extended to cover gaps.
In (sort of) better news – Hunting Hill is being replanted with more Chardonnay vines. The sad bit of this is that the Pinot Noir is making way for that. I’m a fan of the Hunting Hill Pinot Noir, and am pleased that the box I chose to receive this year includes some of the 2021 vintage. The Hunting Hill vineyard doesn’t have quite the problems associated with Coddington, so an increase of around a third in resources for Chardonnay here is a real boon.
Everything at Kumeu River is made in a similar way – all hand-harvested, processed at the site at Kumeu, fermented using wild yeast, and most of the wines are put in oak barrels, with a varying degree of new oak. All go through 100% malolactic fermentation, and then aged on lees for about 11 months.
Matés vineyard is planted with Mendoza clone, which gives “hen and chicken” berries in the bunch, where there are tiny berries in amongst the regular sized ones. These give an intensity to the mix – but only if treated right. A machine-picker would just blow these small berries off, so hand-harvest is essential. The same with using a destemmer machine – the little ones would just get discarded with the stems and stalks. Whole bunch pressing gets all the character from those – including the all-important tannin element that is a signature of Matés Vineyard Chardonnay.
We talk about tannin in red wine, but it is an important part of white wines too – and to my mind it is what sets Matés apart from the other single vineyard wines that Kumeu River make. I have had comments – which I thank readers for – that people look forward to my comments and review of the new release of Matés Vineyard Chardonnay every year – almost more than anything else I do! Which is great – but I would advise you to also look out for what I have to say about one of their other wines – the Rays Road Chardonnay.
Keen-eyed readers may recall that I was not so enamoured of the first vintage of the wine in 2018, that the family bought in Ruakaka, inland Hawke’s Bay a few years ago. Now, however, this wine is really hitting its straps – having planted Clone 15 and 548 to go with the 95 that had been planted a dozen years before. I am now of the opinion that this vineyard is very much “one to watch”. Not only is it a very key part of the Kumeu River brand going forward, but, importantly, the wine now sits comfortably alongside its northern siblings in terms of quality and finesse.
Rays Road Chardonnay has a tense chalkiness showing the limestone terroir, but it certainly now shows a richness of fruit that wasn’t evident in the first couple of vintages. The underlying minerality is clear, but with the ripe citrus fruit and power through the palate it’s very balanced and elegant. Acidity is a key factor with this wine, and it has a zesty salinity through to a finish that is clean, fine and lengthy.
The second wine in the line up is the Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay, which has been made since 1985 using the best selection of what they had available from Kumeu. It’s now made from six vineyard sites and immediately shows the difference between Hawke’s Bay limestone and Kumeu clay. An age-worthy, complex and layered expression – perhaps a reflection of the lower yields this year? This could be the star of the vintage – at the price, certainly. A bright lemon, and grapefruit character sits alongside the peach, almond, lime curd and greengage in the bouquet. A zing of bright acidity forms a core and I don’t normally say this – but this one could do with a little more time in bottle to show its best.
Third wine to taste is the Coddington Chardonnay, which is comes from a north-facing sun trap of a vineyard about 3kms from the winery. I find this rich expression a little less attractive and having less drive than the first two. That ripe golden peach signature flavour is there, as usual, and a plush, textural quality. A spice and toast character (from the Gilet oak whose toasting is pretty heavy) compliments the ripeness in the fruit. This one does have immense approachability with the acidity keeping a balance across the palate. I know from the retrospective tastings that this wine does age well, but equally you could very easily be happy drinking this on release day.
Now we move on to Hunting Hill Chardonnay, from the land across the road, sitting above Matés Vineyard. The vineyard was replanted with Clone 15 chardonnay in 2001, and it just keeps getting better. Now, in the twenty years that I have been visiting and getting to know the wines – this is the one that has sneaked up on me. Initially I couldn’t see how it could possibly rival Matés for the jewel in the KR crown, but now – well, you’ll have seen that the 2010 vintage was the only wine I have awarded 100/100 marks to in the years I have been scoring wines on WineFolio (here > https://winefolio.co.nz/?p=11773)
The perfume is intensely floral, with a lime blossom character, giving a distinctive citrus fragrance as well as lime, green apple, nectarine and tarragon on the nose. Complex, concentrated and intense, but with a softer honey, cashew butter note mid-palate. There is energy and power – a crystalline acidity gives line and superb length through layers of flavours and texture. A bite of pithy dryness elongates the finish.
I have been known to describe Matés Vineyard Chardonnay as ‘beautiful chaos’ on release. Winemaker Michael describes it as “having more stuff in it”. A youthful concentration defines the bouquet – at the same time smoky and plush, spicy and clean – with lemon curd, white peach, pear, hazelnut, oatmeal, vanilla and incense. The tannin I mentioned earlier gives a zesty, mealy character and texture. The finish has splendid length and harmony – already quite seamless. Less brooding than some releases, I could, again, see myself trying this earlier than my usual 6-8 years down the track.
