Chardonnay Estate, Kumeu River 2024

Is the 2024 Chardonnay Estate the best ever here? Quite possibly. It displays excellent concentration, especially considering this is "just" the estate wine. The 2024 is absolutely banging with intensity, tension and punch. There's a lot going on for your money. Expect a lightly infused brightness with scintillating citrus and integrated nutty layers and complexity. Plenty to unravel. 2026-2034

Aromas of sliced apples and pears with some pie crust and croissant undertones. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and a long and tangy finish. Reserved and poised. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The 2024 Estate Chardonnay is floral and tightly coiled, with a scratched lime backbone. It's not as complex as the Ray's Road tasted alongside, yet it's utterly composed and restrained. It is mineral and very good indeed. This was tasted as a tank sample prior to filtration and bottling.

Full screwcapped bottle 1,318 g. Hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed before 100% spontaneous barrel ferment in French oak with 100% malo (20% new oak). 11 months' ageing in barrel. Always a blend of the same six Kumeu vineyards (of which they own three) and in 2024 the crop was reduced but fruit was much more concentrated. No new oak in 2023 so they had lots of (François Frères) barrels to use. It's a struggle to keep vines in the ground in Kumeu. They think they're OK for the next 20 years so long as the owners, mainly Chinese, will agree to lease the land. Average age of vines would be more than 20 years. High-toned nose then rich lemon-barley-water flavours. And real grip on the end. No hurry to drink this. Lots of concentration and masses of potential. Still youthful! Lots to chew on. Worth waiting until at least 2026 before drinking but it's already approachable. Drink 2025-2035.