A white wine from Kumeu in West Auckland. It received a 100/100 perfect score from JamesSuckling.com for this vintage, and was also awarded ‘White Wine of the Year’ by that website – a first for a New Zealand wine, from one of the major international critics. This would be the first time I’ve tasted this in a couple of years.
A pale golden straw colour in the glass. 6 years on – more colour than I’ve seen in this vintage, to date? A smidgeon of reductivity shows on first airing – flinty and smoky – but quickly leans aside for the ripe nectarine, pear and lemon zest flavours to pass through. There’s also a side order of baguette, ANZAC biscuit and nutmeg on the nose. Oak is another factor that seems more prominent than I recall – with a nutty, toasty richness that I find suits the generous nature. Breezy acidity and some peppery phenolics mid-palate hint at some structure for the long haul, and I find this vintage both delicious and intriguing in equal parts. More to come I suspect, although it drinks very, very nicely right now. 97pts
