Winemaker Notes
Mate's Vineyard is always set apart from the other Kumeu River Chardonnays with its lifted, sweet fruit aroma that is akin to pears. On the palate, there is extra concentration and length of flavor. This is certainly a wine that will benefit from bottle aging of four to six years.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Showing some mature, truffle-y aromas, the 2006 Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay blends in notes of cashew and lime. It's medium to full-bodied, with lively, racy acidity and terrific energy and length on the finish. I wouldn't hold this too much longer, but it still has a few years to go.
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Wine Spectator
Tightly wound, with an impressive core of intensity to tangy lemon, nectarine and crushed stone flavors. Oak nuances integrate nicely, with sea salt and vibrant acidity focusing the lingering finish. Best from 2010 through 2015. 1,200 cases made.
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.