White Wine Knoll Gruner Veltliner Kreutles Smaragd 2020. Regarded as one of Austria’s premier wineries, the Knoll estate in the village of Unterloiben in the Wachau has been owned by the same family for generations. Today the 15 hectare property is run by Emmerich II and Monika along with their son Emmerich III who recently finished his agriculture studies. The estate includes top vineyards in many of Wachau’s most famous crus which are predominantly planted with Gruner Veltliner and Riesling on steep stony terraces. The family specialise in producing powerful yet graceful wines with excellent ageing potential. This Gruner comes from the family’s Kreutles vineyard which sits on prized calcareous soils ideally suited to the grape variety. It’s been awarded Vinea Wachau’s Smaragd designation in recognition of its status as one of the finest from the region. The young wine is aged in old wooden casks over the winter and not released before the harvest the following year. This helps create a nuanced, complex white that’s bursting with zingy citrus, green apple and pear, and hints of orchard fruits seasoned with gentle spice and toast from the cask. A fantastic white to serve with dishes like grilled asparagus, salmon or tuna steaks, roast chicken or aged hard cheeses.
2020
White Wine Knoll Gruner Veltliner Kreutles Smaragd 2020
White Wine Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2020. Serve well chilled. The story of Kumeu River is also the story of an adventurous family who left their small Croatian village in 1937 to create a new life on the other side of the world. At first life wasn’t easy, and Mick and Katé Brajkovich spent years doing backbreaking work for other farmers before they could afford to buy their own winery in Kumeu in 1944. Today the family winery is looked after by the third generation of Brajkovichs and has gained international recognition for its refined Burgundy-style Chardonnays. Although Kumeu River is one of New Zealand’s most northerly wine regions, thanks to the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea conditions are perfect for producing vibrant, aromatic wines from early-ripening varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. For their Kumeu River Village Chardonnay the family ferments just 25% of the wine in used French oak barrels with the remainder going into stainless steel tanks. The result is a fruit-forward, aromatic wine with ripe peach, lime and Sicilian lemon aromas and a crisp, cleansing freshness on the palate. There are also hints of a flinty minerality and a smooth, rounded mouthfeel, making this an excellent partner to creamy cheeses or a generous platter of fruits de mer.
2020
White Wine Kumeu River Village Pinot Gris 2020. Kumeu River winery is known for producing top quality Burgundian-style Chardonnays from some of New Zealand’s finest vineyards. It was the excellent terroir that first attracted founders Mick and Katé Brajkovich who moved to New Zealand from their small village in Croatia in 1937. The couple saved up to be able to buy their own property in 1944, and since then the winery has been passed down the generations to their grandchildren who run it today. Kumeu River is well-suited to growing white wine varieties like this Pinot Gris thankings to the cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea. This helps to lock in plenty of natural freshness and delicate aromatics alongside the riper fruit flavours which are so typical of this variety. Heady notes of white peaches, honeysuckle and ripe apricots dominate on the nose while the first sip reveals a mouthwatering acidity, well-rounded texture and refreshing notes of ginger and grapefruit on the finish. This rich, luscious style of Pinot Gris makes a great match for dishes like roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or pan-fried scallops as well as spicy dishes like Thai curries or noodles.
2020