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screwcap in New Zealand. He has marginally increased the free SO2
at
bottling, from 30–35mg/l free in the 2002 and 2004, to 40mg/l since 2006. I find the young wines quite oaky
and richly textured, with the exception of Hunting Hill. They will benefit from bottle-age for this to recede. I asked Michael about his approach to bâtonnage and oak. He replied, “We don’t use bâtonnage nowadays as systematically as we used to. We do it more according to taste and perceived need, which is much less now than in the 1990s, for example. After the MLF is complete, we add sulfur dioxide and bung the barrels down, then try not to open them until they are racked in January.” The oak treatment is tailored for each
vineyard. For Maté’s vineyard there is a combination of Tonnellerie de Mercurey and Seguin-Moreau, normally around 30% new. Coddington has 100% Gillet, usually 25% new, heavy-toast barrels. “With the luscious character of this vineyard, this works and the fruit eats up the oak,” observed Paul, although I wonder if it doesn’t weigh it down. Hunting Hill is aged in François Frères barriques, which will work a treat with this terroir, even if I always find François Frères quite powerful at first. “We have chosen these barrels after decades of fine tuning... chosen to best reflect the characters of the vineyard, which are floral, citrus, mineral, and elegant,” said Michael, who likes medium to heavy toast. There is usually 25% new, but in 2023, none was used. “This was partly because of the lighter character of the vintage and also because the smaller crop meant that a much greater proportion of one- and two-year-old oak was available.” Within the timeframe of this 80th anniversary tasting, Michael said the biggest change in winemaking came in the 2016 vintage, “when we started using crossflow (tangential) filtration, rather than lenticular filters. This technology is amazing, and is very gentle on the wine, neither adding nor subtracting anything significant.” We tasted the Estate Chardonnay and the single-vineyard wines from the 2020, 2019, 2014, 2013, 2010, and 2007 vintages, as well as the 2004 and 2002 Estate and Maté’s Vineyard. Generally, I preferred the Estate Chardonnay to Coddington, except for the 2014 vintage. I find the Estate
86 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 87 | 2025
Chardonnay less opulent, more nuanced, and generally a bit fresher. My favorite single-vineyard wine is the stylish, straight, and tangy Hunting Hill, with its floral notes and lively energy. This is the sort of wine I like to drink. In more recent vintages, it is on a par for quality with Maté’s, and maybe even surpasses it. The vineyard has matured, and maybe the winemaking is better tailored to the terroir. It benefits from some bottle age, but even as a young wine, it eloquently expresses its terroir. Among the more mature vintages, however, Maté’s Vineyard had the edge, probably because the vineyard is older than Hunting Hill. Maté’s Vineyard makes denser, more profound wine, but this demands time to evolve in bottle to reveal its best expression, whereas Hunting Hill is more accommodating in its youth. It’s great that Hunting Hill and Maté’s are opposites, truly expressing the differences in their terroir; high-toned and racy Hunting Hill, versus Maté’s show of power and muscularity. I never like comparing wines from elsewhere to Burgundy, but I guess it is still the gold standard for Chardonnay and producers just can’t help themselves. Paul compares Coddington to Meursault, Hunting Hill to Puligny, and Maté’s to Corton-Charlemagne.
After alluding to terroir comes the inevitable price comparison, which has more teeth. By comparison with Burgundy, Kumeu River Wines are very well-priced for their quality and expression of terroir. In terms of aging capacity, Paul remarked, “We usually recommend 8–10 years, with 7–8 years the sweet spot, but I may have to revise this, as the wines are going further now: maybe 10–15 years.” I would agree that Mate’s has an aging capacity of 10–15 years, and more recent vintages of Hunting Hill will match that, while for the Estate and Coddington, I think the 7–10-year timeframe is about right. I wondered how Michael envisages
the future for Kumeu River and for the estate? “We will continue to do what we do in Kumeu, but the most exciting new development is our vineyard at Rays Road in Hawkes Bay, for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Over the next few years we will see more and more fruit coming from this limestone terroir, and they are already delivering us very exciting, vibrant wines.”
TASTING
FLIGHT 1: 2020 AND 2019 VINTAGES In the first flight, we compared 2020 and 2019—both good vintages. What was the main difference during the season? “2019 was a season out of the box, just about faultless. After a wet spring, things really dried out after Christmas, and it got drier and drier toward harvest. It was warmish, up to 29.3°
C [84.7° C F],
F],” said Michael. Both 2020 and 2019 would benefit from another year or two in bottle. The 2020 vintage is particularly compact and intense, both rich and fresh. The 2019 is riper, typically 14% ABV versus 13.5% ABV for the 2020. The 2019s are lovely wines, maybe not as dynamic as the 2020s, but they seem to be coming together more quickly than the 2020s, for slightly earlier drinking. Both will age well. Of the two, 2020 may last longer, but 2019 should not be far behind.
but most important, dry. 2020 was very similar, but with an even longer dry period, and slightly warmer temperatures: two days over 30° [86°
2020 Estate Chardonnay
Lush, citrus aroma, with a hint of peach. Rather an exuberant strike. This is richly rounded and rather buttery. The palate is underscored with a firm slice of citrusy acidity. It pushes into the finish where the toasty oak shows. 2025–28. | 87
2020 Coddington Chardonnay
The aroma combines ripe stone fruit with buttered toast. Plenty of energy on the attack. This is punchy and vital; robust, even. A generous style. I don’t find it as long on the finish as the Estate wine, which, at the moment, shows more dimension. But let it settle, as it’s likely to reveal more complexity with age. If the 2014 Coddington is any indication, this should last longer than the estate. 2025–30. | 87
2020 Hunting Hill Chardonnay
Some reserve here. Altogether more upright, with its bright floral notes on the nose. Hits the palate straight and lime-fresh. I do like the singing acidity and the mineral shimmer, where it stretches into a precise finish. A waft of lime flower in the wake of light minerality. Delightful and expressive now, but you really should wait longer to enjoy this at its peak. 2026–35. | 94
2020 Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay
Earthier aroma. Darker on the palate, too, sultry, as distinct from the Hunting Hill’s airy, floral, and mineral character. Maté’s palate is the most compact of the three single-vineyard wines. This density and matter carry into the finish. It’s certainly rich but layered, with sufficient acidity. Savory. Almost chewy. 2027–35. | 94
2019 Estate Chardonnay
Just a touch of evolution; the aroma of toasted brioche is inviting, making this more interesting than the 2020 now. It’s ripe and evolving quite quickly but seems a bit fresher than the 2020. There are notes of new-mown hay. Lively, citrusy
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