2023 Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay

Highly Rated
One of New Zealand's finest Chardonnays, year in year out.
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
2 Reviews

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Sale price$110.00
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Description

Maté's Chardonnay is one of the southern hemisphere's greatest wines, routinely outpointing and outperforming the famous names of Burgundy in blind tastings and shocking the old guard with how amazing New Zealand wine can be.

It's a single vineyard wine, named after Maté Brajkovich, Michael's father, and is properly pronounced 'Mattys'. The site was planted to Chardonnay in 1990 on the same spot where the family first planted vines in 1944.

100% Mendoza clone, prone to hen and chicken grape clusters that can intensity fruit flavours through exceptional small berry concentration. 100% barrel fermented and 100% malolactic, followed by 11 maturation in barrel.

Poised, pristine and tightly coiled at the moment, it will reward a decade plus in the cellar.

97 points
"Very steely and floral, with brightness and impressive aromas of honeysuckle, lemongrass and just a touch of cream. Medium- to full-bodied with layered and creamy phenolics that give a lovely, almost velvety texture to the wine, and then the end is so crisp and minerally. Driven at the end. Needs time to come together. This will be so complex in three to four years. Best after 2027."
- James Suckling

97 points - "Very steely and floral, with brightness and impressive aromas of honeysuckle, lemongrass and just a touch of cream. Medium- to full-bodied with layered and creamy phenolics that give a lovely, almost velvety texture to the wine, and then the end is so crisp and minerally. Driven at the end. Needs time to come together. This will be so complex in three to four years. Best after 2027." - James Suckling

92 points - "Lime marmalade, peach, almond, brioche, spice and mint tea. It’s kind of yellow tasting, for the synesthetes among us, and has a bright core of limey acidity, a fair bit of flint and grip, and while maybe the fruit is a little too juicy and tropical, it does have tension and length of flavour, and something of an umami chicken stock flavour to close, and zest of citrus peel too. Good wine. Not quite your usual Maté’s in terms of intensity and power, and not so much in the way of struck match either, and something of a hessian character. Still, lots of character here." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 2 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 2 Total 4 star reviews: 0 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
2 reviews
  • LD
    LUKE D.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    8 months ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2022 Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay
    Reviewing
    2022 Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    One to share with your mates

    Easy and refreshing Chardonnay. One to drink with your mates at your next river picnic

  • AR
    ADAM R.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    1 year ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    2021 Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay
    Reviewing
    2021 Kumeu River Mates Chardonnay
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Outstanding

    Top class chardonnay that rivals any chardonnay in the World.

Reviews LoadedReviews Added

In 1990, Maté Brajkovich reworked the land and planted a new vineyard of Chardonnay vines on the site of the original vineyard that he and his family purchased in March 1944. The first grapes from this vineyard were harvested in March 1993, the year following Maté’s death. The resulting wine was released in November 1994 to coincide with celebrations marking the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Brajkovich Family’s arrival at Kumeu River.

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country New Zealand
Region Kumeu
Feature High Score
Reviewed By James Suckling
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

Kumeu River

Like so many new world wineries, Kumeu River, is an immigrant success story, hard work, and growth from generation to generation.

The Brajkovich family’s story has grown in parallel to the growth of the New Zealand wine industry in general, established the Kumeu region north of Auckland.

3rd generation winemaker Michael Brajkovich ( New Zealand’s first MW) spent a vintage in Burgundy in the early 1980’ that changed the wineries trajectory and led them to place a singular focus on producing world class Chardonnay.

This change saw them rename the winery Kumeu River (from San Marino Vineyards) and evolve to a more Burgundian style of winemaking. Since these changes, the wines of Kumeu river have been recognised as belonging to the pantheon of Chardonnay on a global scale.

The Vineyards of Kumeu River Kumeu River

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