White Wine Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2021. Tucked away just to the north of Auckland, the famed Kumeu River winery is best known for their breathtaking Burgundy-style Chardonnays. The family-run winery is located 30km from the Pacific Ocean and 20km from the Tasman Sea which helps to moderate summer temperatures and create white wines with remarkable finesse and elegance. Mate’s Vineyard is Kumeu’s flagship single vineyard Chardonnay which comes from 18-year old vines planted on mineral rich soils. This is always the last vineyard to be harvested by the family so the grapes enjoy an extended ripening period which helps to add complexity and intense flavours to the wine. After vinification the wine is aged in oak barrels of which 30% are new for 11 months to add a delicious creamy texture and hints of vanilla to the wine. An enchanting perfume of ripe peaches, almond blossom and bright citrus seduces the nose as soon as you open this bottle of Chardonnay, while the palate offers tropical fruit flavours, racy acidity and a distinctive flinty minerality. Full-bodied and incredibly smooth in the mouth, this is an ideal partner for creamy chicken dishes or even veal. If you have the patience, this bottle will continue to develop and evolve over the next decade or so if it is stored in optimum cellar conditions.
2021
White Wine Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2021
White Wine Stark Conde The Field Blend 2021. The story of Stark Conde dates back to 1989 when Hans & Midori Schroder purchased Oude Nektar farm in the dramatic Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch and began growing top quality grapes. A decade later, in 1998, the couple were joined by their daughter and son-in-law, Marie and José, and the Stark Conde family winery was born. The stunning setting in the rugged Jonkershoek Valley helps to give the wines a unique character and flavour profile thanks to the large variations in elevation across their vineyards. Their lowest plots sit at 150 metres while the highest are found at 600 metres above sea level. The family’s Field Blend is a complex composition of Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Verdelho and Viognier which are all sourced from a prime single vineyard plot named Jan Lui’s Field after a former owner. The grapes are all harvested and fermented together as a true field blend with 90% of the wine fermented and aged in oak barrels for 8 months. The result is an opulent full bodied white with enticing tropical and citrus fruit notes as well as a creamy texture and hints of vanilla and spice from the oak maturation.
2021
White Wine Kozlovic Malvazija 2021. Serve well chilled. Reminiscent of the fresh sea breeze which blows along the Istrian coast, this pretty white is made with local favorite Malvasia which has been grown here for centuries. The small Kozlovic winery has been in the hands of the same family since 1904 and is currently run by Gianfranco and Antonella Kozlovic. The couple are passionate about combining Croatia’s stunning indigenous varieties with modern winemaking techniques to show to the world the incredible potential of Istrian wines. In the glass the first aromas to emerge are citrusy lemon, pear and crisp green apple followed by hints of dried sage and oregano. On the palate richer fruits like peaches, apricots and pineapples come to the fore along with a harmonising salty minerality from the limestone vineyard soils. The vibrant personality of this white make it ideal to sip in the warmer months alongside a platter of fresh seafood or simply savour by the pool. This Malvasia is also ideal to serve well chilled paired with creamier dishes like an elegant prawn risotto or pasta carbonara thanks to the bright acidity which helps to revive and cleanse your palate after each bite.
2021