2016 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$54.00USD

One of the great Chardonnay's anywhere!  Screw capped.  Light gold/green in color.  Great nose with minerality, lemons, slight vanilla and a hint of pears.  Medium to full bodied.  Crisp and clean.  Refreshing and delicious.  This took maybe 30 minutes to open and then kept opening all night long.  The palate had lemons, lots of minerality and a sort of "poached pears in vanilla sauce only crisper quality".  Lots of depth.  Long finish.  This bottle is still on the young side but drinking great.  It will continue to do so for another ten to twelve years.  Drinks great on its own, this worke

2017 Sineann Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

From Oregon producer Sineann, they also make a line of wines in New Zealand.  This is a delightful and classic style of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peaches but also a hint of tropical fruits.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the fruits come thru to match the nose.  More tropical fruit on the finish.  Slightly viscous texture.  Dry.  This is drinking well but probably should be consumed in the next few years.  It drinks great on its own and will work well with lighter foods.  

2015 Kumeu River Chardonnay Maté's Vineyard, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$54.00USD

Wow.  Even better than the spectacular Hunting Hill!  Still quite young, but with some air, this is wonderful.  Light golden in color.  The nose has lemons, slight citrus, a hint of mineral and tons of minerality.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is big and rich, but then it has so much zing that cuts right thru it.  Layers of complexity.  Grapefruit and lemons over minerals.  Slight green apple on the finish.  This should continue to develop for another five to ten and then drink well for another ten to twelve after that.  It drinks great on its own but will work well with sea food or ev

2019 Sineann Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

Sineann is more well known for the Oregon and Washington wines, but they also make this gem in New Zealand.  Owner-winemaker Peter Rosback just can't sit still.  Screw capped.  Silvery/gold in color with a slight copper hue.  The nose is tight upon opening but with a bit of air open to show a nice minerality followed by gooseberries.  With more air a yellow lemonade note become prominent.  This has a lovely oily texture.  On the palate, the lemonade note is there right away followed by gooseberries and an interesting menthol tobacco note.  This has nice acidity.  A long finish that does sho

2015 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

Another from this top producer of Chardonnay.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with lemon curd, slight pineapple and minerality.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is crisp and energetic.  The lemon curd comes thru but also some lemon candy with underlying minerality.  Long finish.  This is delicious but also the kind of wine that makes one take notice.  Still young with a great vibrancy, this easily should continue maturing for the next dozer or so years.  Great on its own, this will work well with lighter foods and even heavier sea food or fowl dishes

2019 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, Marlborough, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

This was the wine that put New Zealand wines on the worldwide map.  That was twenty or thirty years ago (the winery was actually founded in 1985), and it had been a while since I have tried this wine.  And, it is still excellent.  Light green/gold in color.  The nose has tropical fruits and limes.  Very nice.  Clean.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Just a hint of sweetness.  Tropical fruits with slight citrus.  Enough acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks easily on its own.  It will work well with lighter foods, maybe a fruit salad?  Drink over the next three to five years.  

2016 Kumeu River Chardonnay Village, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

I have been on a kick this summer trying the wines from this winery.  This is their least expensive Chardonnay.  This is a crisp Chardonnay that see no new oak and only 25% used French oak.  Light golden in color.  The nose is pretty with slight tropical fruits/melon but more lemon/lime notes and nice minerality.  Medium bodied.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, the minerality leads followed by a nice peachy quality and a bit of lemon.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own and should be very versatile with all but the heaviest or lightest foods.  It should probably be consumed over the

2015 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

What a superb Chardonnay.  This is still a bit on the younger side, but drinking very well.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is clean and delightful.  Minerals with lemons and just a hint of Meyer lemon and an herbal note.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is crisp with excellent acidity.  Minerals galore.  Layers of complexity unwind in the glass.  A bit of lemon pith especially on the finish.  This is great now on its own and will work with all sorts of food.  Baked seafood would be a great choice.  It should continue to improve for the next seven to ten years and be

2018 Kumeu River Chardonnay Estate, New Zealand, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is the middle level bottling from this superb winery in New Zealand.  Although New Zealand is not normally known for Chardonnay this wine makes spectacular bottlings especially their single vineyard offerings.  Pale silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with nice minerality and slight grapefruit.  On the palate, this is clean and very lively.

2018 Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

My first time trying this New Zealand winery.  Very impressed.  This wine is barrel fermented and raised in barrel for eleven months but shows no overt signs of any oak.  Probably just a bit of new oak barrels.  Golden in color with a tinge of copper.  The nose is very nice with orange, stony minerality, and lime zest.  This has a very nice texture.  It is creamy yet steely if that makes sense.  On the palate, it starts with a crisp stony minerality followed by a citrus mid-palate and then all notes crescendo for a full and long finish.  It is also delicious.  The finish is long.  Of course

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