Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu — 2020
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Vineyard Profile
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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.
- Location: Coddington Vineyard Kumeu, Auckland
- Cultivation: Sustainable
- Size: 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres)
- Vine Age: Planted 1994
- Clones: 15
- Soil: Clay
- Elevation: Approximately 100 meters (328 feet)
- Exposure: North
- Training: VSP
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Vintage Report
- Yields: 2.7 tons/acre
- Brix: 22.0°
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Vinification
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Hand harvested
Whole-bunch pressed
Indigenous-yeast fermentation
French oak barrels, 25% new oak
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 2020 vintage is another outstanding vintage following on from the exceptional 2019. The single-vineyard Coddington wine is richly ripe in the yellow peach and apricot spectrum, with a background of toasted oak and caramelized hazelnut. It is the biggest style in our range, and satisfyingly rich as such, but also nicely balanced with its acidity.
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Images
Reviews
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Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu — 2020 – Decanter – 97 Points
"The Coddington vineyard is described by Paul Brajkovich as 'a north-facing sun-trap'. Bright, deep, citrus aromas with peachy notes, plus a toasty struck match reductive character. The palate offers a bright citrus attack, rounded out in the mid-palate with a creamy texture and layers of peachiness, but underpinned with minerality that drives to the finish, where there's a pleasing touch of salinity. Very much a wine of site, combining power with elegant restraint in a stellar vintage."
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Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu — 2020 – Wine Spectator – 93 Points
“Vibrant and expressive, with Bartlett pear, yellow apple and dried apricot flavors that show touches of honeycomb, finishing with a note of salted almond.”
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Kumeu River Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu — 2020 – James Suckling – 97 Points
This is a wine of real purity and elegance with fresh sliced peaches and lemons, as well as some light pastry notes. The palate is fine, unwaveringly long and pure with enlivening acidity through the finish. Stunning.
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Kumeu River Chardonnay, Coddington, Kumeu — 2020 – Vinous – 93 Points
Another typically weighty expression from Kumeu's Coddington vineyard, the 2020 Chardonnay Coddington fills the midpalate with its density and breadth. It is a wine of clarity, the oak-derived smoky, nutty notes providing a savory layer over nectarine and lemon meringue. However, this is not a wine that needs multiple flavor descriptors; it's a wine of texture. Expect the smooth, mellow mouthfeel to be followed up with lovely precision and sinew on the lengthy, smoky finish.