Winemaker Notes
Usually the most flamboyant wine when young, the 2017 Coddington has a beautiful nose, more fragrant and citrusy than usual for Coddington. This is a common thread through all the 2017 Chardonnays. The palate is classic Coddington with the density, concentration and luscious creaminess we expect from this wine. Deceptively easy to drink at this early stage. This wine will no doubt take on a lovely bottle age as it has done with previous vintages.
This wine is produced from a vineyard owned by Tim and Angela Coddington whose grapes have contributed to the blend of Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay since 1998. It is a vineyard that produces very rich and unctuous Chardonnay that we have long believed could make an excellent single vineyard wine. In 2006 we decided to give Coddington single vineyard status to reflect this vineyard’s unique character.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Very cool and delicate. Yet, in spite of the peach and honeysuckle aromas already showing, this is still quite tight. Precisely delineated, medium to full palate with a lot of minerality, the finish very long and precise. Better from 2019 or 2020. Screw cap.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Coddington Chardonnay retains all of its energy and detail through these eight years from harvest, and we see intensity of characters from bottle age under screw cap. The wine is fresh and complex, the acidity needing to unwind a bit in the glass, uncoil itself from the tendrils of fruit flavor. A distinctly savory wine, it has flavors of turmeric, saffron, fennel and a hint of bacon fat.
-
Wine Spectator
Vibrant and expressive, featuring peppery white floral notes that mingle with pear and citrus flavors. Makrut lime and fresh ginger accents linger on the sleek, refreshing finish. Drink now through 2029.
Founded in 1944 by Mick Brajkovich, wife Katé and son Maté, Kumeu River was one of the early pioneers in Auckland, New Zealand, that helped to establish its reputation as a world-class wine region. Still family owned and run, Kumeu River continues to pioneer new frontiers: winemaker Michael Brajkovich became New Zealand’s first member of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine, London, they have been testing and championing screw cap closures for close to 20 years and the winery has gone on to become the globally recognized benchmark for non-Burgundy produced Chardonnay. All Kumeu River wines are hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and demonstrate exclusive use of indigenous yeast fermentation.
The Chardonnays of Kumeu River have gained a strong foothold within the international market, continuously and consistently receiving outstanding accolades. The winery is a globally recognized benchmark for age-worthy Chardonnay outside of Burgundy.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Grape-growers in the local subregions of Clevedon, Matakana and Waiheke Island, focusing on vineyard techniques to maximize quality, are producing very fine Bordeaux Blends from local grapes. Auckland is also an industrial area where winemakers can produce quality wines based on sourced grapes from neighboring regions.