Chardonnay, Maté’s Vineyard, Kumeu – 2016
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Vineyard Profile
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In 1990, Maté Brajkovich reworked the land at Kumeu River and planted a new vineyard of Chardonnay on the site of the family’s original vineyard, purchased in 1944. The first harvest from these new vines was in March 1993, the year following Maté’s death. The vineyard was named Maté’s Vineyard in his honor, and the resulting single-vineyard wine was first released in November 1994 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Brajkovich family’s arrival in Kumeu.
- Location: Kumeu, Auckland
- Cultivation: Sustainable
- Size: 2.49 hectares (6 acres)
- Vine Age: Planted 1990
- Clones: Mendoza
- Soil: Clay loam
- Elevation: 45 meters (147 feet)
- Exposure: North facing
- Training: Lyre
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Vintage Report
- Harvest Date(s): March 22, 2016
- Yields: 3.7 tons/acre
- Brix: 21.5°
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Vinification
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Hand harvested
Whole-bunch pressed
Indigenous-yeast fermentation
100% barrel fermentation
100% malolactic fermentation
11 months maturation in barrel
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
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Tasting Notes
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The Mate’s Vineyard is usually the most reserved and unyielding when young with the nose being closed, just giving hints of the golden queen peach and mineral notes that we expect from Mate’s Vineyard. On the palate however, the flavour is very concentrated and distinctly richer than the other 2016 wines, but maintaining a perfect balance and freshness that sets this wine apart and makes it wonderful. This is a wine of immense concentration that will be very long lived.
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Images
Reviews
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Kumeu River Chardonnay, Maté’s Vineyard, Kumeu – 2016 – The Wine Advocate – 94 Points
Maté's is usually the tightest, most linear of the KR Chards, and that's again the case. The 2016 Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay is marked by smoky new oak, but there's also pineapple and grapefruit notes that create a crisp, acidic spine. Draped off of that are hints of white peaches, roasted hazelnuts and tangerine. There's an almost briny zestiness to the lingering finish that sets it apart from the winery's other single-vineyard bottlings.
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Kumeu River Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay – 2016 – Wine Enthusiast – 93 Points
From New Zealand's Chardonnay expert, this offers a smokey and briny nose marked by salted nuts and grilled stone fruit. These tones glide to the effortlessly silky, smooth palate, threaded by stoney minerality, pristine acidity and a lengthy tangy, savory finish. Drink now—2024.
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Kumeu River Chardonnay, Mate’s Vineyard – 2016 – James Suckling – 95 Points
This great chardonnay is just beginning to give its best. Cool and very fresh with lemon-blossom and lemon-curd character, married to considerable richness and animating acidity, this proves that New Zealand can play in the global chardonnay first le
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Kumeu River, Matés Vineyard Chardonnay – 2016 – Jancis Robinson – 18 Points
Hugely intense and liqueur-like. A bit like a Kumeu River Chardonnay compote. Really dense and jewelly and long. Almost flashy!