Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu – 2011
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Vineyard Profile
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Owned by Tim and Angela Coddington, this vineyard is located between the towns of Huapai and Waimauku in Kumeu. Planted on a clay-based hillside with narrow trellising, the Chardonnay from this block is consistently weighty and powerful with richness and length. The grapes from Coddington have been used in the Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay since 1998. In 2006, the winery decided to give Coddington single-vineyard status to reflect this vineyard’s unique character.
- Location: Kumeu is a sub-region of the Auckland wine district. Despite being situated well north of New Zealand’s other viticultural regions, Kumeu’s climate is kept cool due to its close proximity to the Tasman Sea, just 20 kilometers (nearly 12.5 miles) to the west, and the Pacific Ocean 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) to the east. These two large bodies of water generate clouds, keeping peak summer temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
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Vintage Report
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2011 was a challenging vintage with cooler-than-usual conditions leading up to harvest. The grapes struggled to attain high sugar levels, but a very moderate cropping level still allowed the development of ripe-fruit aroma and flavor intensity. Following near-perfect conditions in 2010, Kumeu River had to work harder in 2011 in the vineyards due to pockets of botrytis. This vintage really showed the value of hand-harvesting and strict field triage because the fruit arriving at the winery was in perfect condition.
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Vinification
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Whole-bunch pressed
- Fermentation: Indigenous yeast fermentation
- Malolactic: 100%
- Barrel Fermentation: 100%
- Barrel Aging: Aged 11 months in 25% new, 75% 1-5-year- old 225-liter/60-gallon French oak
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
- Production (in cases): 800 cases
- Production Case Pack: 12/750ml
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Tasting Notes
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The 2011 Coddington shows the typical ripe, peachy fruit expected from this vineyard site. Due to a small cropping level, there is depth and layers of concentration present in the wine. The palate is forward with a luxurious, creamy texture and lovely balancing acidity. Although clearly delicious in its youth, this wine will benefit from a period of bottle maturation of two to five years.
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Images
Reviews
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Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu – 2011 – 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
“For whatever reason, the Coddington lacks the extra dimension of the other 2011 Kumeu River Chardonnays. It’s still an excellent wine, just linear and crisp, with subtle toast framing citrusy fruit.”
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Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu – 2011 – 94 points – jamessuckling.com
“…complex and cleverly styled. The palate has sleek, bright acidity at the core of crunchy, flavorsome fruit. Great length and texture. Balanced and even.”
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Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu – 2011
The 2011 Coddington shows the typical ripe, peachy fruit expected from this vineyard site. There is depth and layers of concentration present in the wine. The palate is forward with a luxurious, creamy texture and lovely balancing acidity.