| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | New Zealand > Auckland |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Kumeu River
The 2010 Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay is also a bit closed, displaying a chalky, lemon / lime, orange peel and jasmine nose with a hint of honeyed toast. It has a tightly knit texture with layers of citrus and mineral flavors, lifted crisp acidity and a long finish. Medium-bodied, it is built for the long haul and should drink from 2014 to 2021+.
***Kumeu River's 2010 Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay is the joint highest-scoring New Zealand wine, along with their 2010 Chardonnay Hunting Hill, in Wine Advocate # 203.***
Pale, bright straw-yellow. Musky pear, apricot, apple, lemon oil and a hint of smoky minerality on the nose. Juicy, smoky and dry, with lovely citrus lift giving the middle palate a perfumed quality. Silky-smooth, broad and very concentrated. Finishes ripe and long, with a firm spine of citrus fruits and minerals. This showed more structure and acidity with 24 hours in the recorked bottle, along with an intriguing saline complexity. A terrific New Zealand chardonnay.
Richness the nose has depth a powerful mix of ripe apricots and nectarines fleshy in the middle. There is balance from the vein of mineral the gun flint and apple leaner at the back but it fills out on the finish with generosity of flavour. 2018-25
Salty fig notes layer a really delicious higher tone of yellow peach, white citrus, creamy pear purée and lime cordial with a lemon biscuit cream finish. Dense, plush and profound. Wow, this is one to track down! Superb and up there with the best in the tasting.
Taut and mineral. Very precise with great concentration. Real depth of flavour here and lovely focus, with intense fruit. Notes of white peach and pear with precision and focus.
Greenish gold. Light nose for a standout vintage. Initially not quite as intense as I would have expected – attractive and commendable but not dramatically better than other vintages. Nicely balanced and a lovely drink for now. Creeps up on you! Pretty impressive peacocks tail of intensity on the end. Quite sweet.
Drink 2016-2030
Some sweet rich, almost honeyed notes (some botrytis), a light toastiness and lots of spice. Reaches so deep across your palate, like being probed, then lingers for ever. Seems to have more mineral character than the 2009. Dense but no fat. (JH) 13.5%
Drink 2014-2022
This mature, cool-climate chardonnay is a real beauty! So ripe and elegant, the finish super long and silky. Long and very refined finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
Tasted blind at Farr Vintners Kumeu/White Burgundy tasting. Crisp and taut on the entry, the 2010 Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay does not quite possess the complexity of the Hunting Hill 2010, but offers appealing lime and fragrant frangipane and honey scents. The palate is crisp and taut, a little resinous with a slightly shrill finish that needs more bottle age. I would agree with Paul Brajkovich, who suggested that the 2012 is the better wine from Maté’s Vineyard, although this is no slouch at all! Drink: 2015 - 2027
