Last week Farr Vintners hosted an unprecedented tasting of Kumeu River's top wines from 2020 back to 2002. Paul Brajkovich guided the trade and journalists through a remarkable set of wines that displayed the consistency and quality that has given these Auckland Chardonnays their well-deserved reputation as the best that New Zealand has to offer.
Stephen Browett, Farr Vintners' Chairman, first imported Kumeu River in 1990 after visiting the winery to taste the 1989 vintage from barrel. We have sold every vintage since, and the quality of the wines has only grown in that time. Kumeu's story is well established but the modern plantings started in the 1980s as field blends gave way to clonal selections of Chardonnay. Michael Brajkovich MW (New Zealand's first Master of Wine) has worked tirelessly for several decades as he refines the style of the property and each site. The first single vineyard bottled commercially was Maté's Vineyard in 1993, which was planted to Mendoza clone. Hunting Hill and Coddington followed in 2006, both replanted later than Maté's with more modern clones.
Each site has a unique profile that is evident in every vintage bottled, shining as brightly as the vintage even at 15+ years of age. Old world comparisons to the sites have been used in the past to help those transitioning from Burgundy to Kumeu, but the catalogue of vintages here now allow us to describe each wine more clearly by its flavour and structure profile.
Concerning 2004, the Estate Chardonnay in this vintage showed just how good this wine can be in both longevity and outright quality despite a very low price. Paul considered the 2004s and 2002s that we tasted towards the end of their window, but they were still very much alive and kicking and the 2004 Estate was a marvel (at this stage it would include both Coddington and Hunting Hill plantings). New vintages of this wine are still well under £25 a bottle on the table; there cannot be many, if any, better and more consistent wines available at this price anywhere in the world. Both the 2020 and 2019 are fantastic (as, frankly, all vintages were). I always have a vintage in my fridge door and, under screwcap, bottles keep perfectly for several days if you can resist that long.
The vintages Kumeu River picked to show gave us a series of stellar wines, each with their own personalities, showed in pairs.
2020 - A modern great that shows some similarity to 2014. These wines are quite tightly coiled and though the Estate and particularly Coddington are a joy to drink now, I would wait on the Hunting Hill and Maté's, both of which need a year or two in bottle to hit their stride. An easy growing season by all accounts from a growing perspective.
2019 - The general consensus was a preference for 2020 due to its precision and poise (and slightly lower alcohols), but for me the 2019s have a disarming, delicious immediacy that makes them more fun to taste (and drink) now. Drink these now (even the Hunting Hill) and you won't be disappointed, though I think they will continue to age well for 5-8 years for the Estate and a decade plus for the Hunting Hill. A similarly relaxed growing season.
2014 - Outstanding, my vintage pick to drink now. From Estate to Maté's these were all knockout wines. That the Estate 2014 was £140 per 12 in bond on release is quite frankly ridiculous. These wines have the precision of the 2020s but bottle age has fleshed out their mid-palates, softened any edges and integrated the wood to give pure drinking pleasure. Another fantastic growing season.
2013 - A tiny, frost-affected vintage that was the outlier of the tasting in its savoury, more old-school fruit profile - here the vintage spoke perhaps more than the sites. There was a pithy textural intrigue and saline edge to all the wines that was very moreish, but the development of fruit is at apex and I would drink these wines in the next 2-3 years. No new oak used in this vintage.
2010 - A brilliant vintage at Kumeu. These sat just behind 2014 for me in terms of consistent, brilliant wines that revealed the vineyards' individual characteristics beautifully. They are, too, still remarkably vibrant at 14 years old. Acid-lined and beaming with cores of preserved fruits and showing an integrated layer of savoury spice. Hunting Hill and Maté's were unsurprisingly the hits here. Frost-affected and small in quantity, this vintage also saw no new oak.
2007 - Another legendary vintage, including a Hunting Hill that has long been my favourite Kumeu River ever. At this maturity it is still a fantastic wine, but the balance and growth of the 2014 Hunting Hill now gives it - just - the edge for me. All four wines were alive and kicking but I would drink them in the next 3-5 years depending on the bottling. These are generous, mature, gaining almost a honeyed complexity and layered, savoury depth. This was a cooler growing season and the acid backbones and energy to these wines shine through.
2004 - Just Estate and Maté's here - both surpassed my expectations. Estate with its sneaky inclusion of the soon-to-be-revealed Hunting Hill and Coddington plots certainly gained some extra oomph and acid backbone, it had no right to be this good at 20 years old. Maté's is at apex, powerful, smoky, buttery and broad.
2002 - Both wines showed well here too but 2004 had the edge in both cases for me. The gap between Estate and Maté's was more pronounced, the former fully mature and in need of drinking but the latter still a broad, succulent treat.
With the 2002s I think we found the natural end point of Kumeu's drinking window at just over 20 years old. 2007, 2010 and 2014 may surprise us in years to come but these wines are really in there stride from 5 to 15 years old, with the best going the extra 5 years.
A brief note on closures. All the wines described above and below were sealed with screwcaps. Of course, closure is not the most important thing in quality, Michael Brajkovich's work to make these stellar wines - and the terrific vineyards - cannot be understated. But, we cannot overlook that 28 wines were all pristine, without bottle variation from the two bottles of each wine we opened. No oxidation, no TCA, no fault of any kind. We tried two bottles each of Estate and Maté's 2002 sealed under cork at the end of the tasting. One was corked, two showed varying oxidation and one was alive but not as vibrant as its screwcapped equivalent. The Brajkovich's decision to overhaul their closures after losing nearly half a vintage to poor corks in 1999 is entirely justified.
Combining this technical precision with superb winemaking and high-quality raw material has led to Kumeu River's brilliance. I can't think of a white wine producer anywhere in the world where you could taste so many wines, from so many vintages and maturities and have no bad wines (cork-sealed aside). The prices of Kumeu remain such good value due to a concerted effort from the Brajkovich family for their wines to go to drinkers; they are Grand Cru/Icon Wine beaters time and again when served blind. Below you can see tasting notes on all the wines. My thanks to Paul for guiding us through such a brilliant tasting. The tasters all commented on the consistent high bar these wines set from 2020 back to 2002 and from Estate to Maté's. Most Farr Vintners customers are well acquainted with these wines' brilliance. If you are yet to dip into Kumeu River, I would urge you to jump in with both feet.
You can read Jancis Robinson's article on the tasting here.
2020
A very youthful and watery pale colour in the glass. Flinty and sparkling with vibrant fruit, this shows tight citrus, just-ripe peach and tangy pear fruit. Bristling with energy on the palate, a streak of acidity cuts through layers of cool ripe fruit. Lightly smoky, with an integrated, leesy, savoury tone that fleshes out the palate without diminishing the fruit on show. The best sip was the last after 30 minutes on the glass. Great already, with more to come.
2019
A pale lemon colour with a bombastic nose of preserved lemons, fleshy peaches and a touch of apricot. The palate is succulent and creamy, a cut of lime keeping everything in check with balancing acidity. Creamy, broad and immediate with a generosity and breadth that makes it a joy to drink. Perhaps not as long or deep as the 2020, but it is a beauty to drink now.
2014
Still a remarkably pale colour in the glass. Mineral, flinty wood smoke shows on the nose with lime zest and butter-roasted peach. The palate is satiny and succulent, with notes of baking spices against pristine, juicy fruit. Absolutely delicious now at a decade old, the interplay between the vintage's vibrant fruit and the oily, savoury depth of age is in perfect harmony.
2013
A deeper colour and a more savoury nose, there is a real struck flint note that persists against notes of nettle tea, cereals and cashews. The palate has real tang and zip, a struck match note interplaying with the layers of green and orange fruit on show. Broadening on the finish, this is a supple, mature wine that is delicious but should be drunk up.
2010
In keeping with the 2014, this is smoky, leesy and very enticing on the nose. The fruit is mellowing, falling into notes of butter, cream and biscuit, yet there is still a strong note of fresh citrus and more savoury preserved lemon. A chiselled, refined Estate, this is best drunk now or over the coming 3+ years.
2007
Bright lemon-gold in colour with a creamy, savoury, rounded nose of dried white and citrus fruit. The palate is soft, layered and mature, but there is real power here still, perhaps more than the 2010 - though with less vibrant fruit. An edge of acidity lines the long, savoury finish. Very good indeed for a 17-year-old white.
2004
Fantastic energy on both the nose and palate here: this is a remarkable, time-defying example of Estate that is no doubt aided by the inclusion of Hunting Hill and Coddington fruit in the blend. Dried limes, peaches and wood smoke all come through with fine-grained pithiness and a bright line of acidity. Full and spicy on the finish, this is a testament to Kumeu's ageability.
2002
Not quite as lively or full as the 2004, the 2002 is at full maturity and should be drunk up. Fine-boned with a citrussy, lime-led acid and fruit profile, there is a spicy depth and a delicate, linear structure here. Mature but still enjoyable to drink.
2020
The modern vintages of Coddington are a triumph and so this 2020 proves, bringing the ripe orchard fruit that stretches from nose to palate and start to finish in all the best wines from this site. With this, however, is an acidity and finesse that adds a cut I have not seen in the earlier vintages. As the vines mature the depth and harmony of these wines only improves. I believe, too, that the wood integration for this wine has kicked on with the added fruit density from 2019. An energetic, gourmand powerhouse of a Coddington. Bravo!
2019
The vintage style in 2019 brings out some of Coddington's more exotic notes, full of peaches, apricots and a little guava too, this is an impressive, open-knit iteration of this wine. Generous and powerful without excess, this is a real crowd-pleaser that is broad but still full of energy.
2014
This shows a fairly prominent creamy, buttered peach note from bottle age but still has a brightness so associated with this vintage. The broadest and most succulent of the 2014s, this is a textural, oily, generous and smoky wine with impressive length on the finish. Toasted cereals and peach skins on the finish.
2013
Much more mature than the 2014, this is savoury, smoky and full of notes of roasted nuts, buttercream and dried fruits. The palate has notes of white pepper, more dried white and stone fruits, a tang of acidity and a real pithiness in texture. Spicy fruit lines the finish. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
2010
Smoked nuts, white peach, struck match and bundles of sweet fruit here on both the nose and palate. Tangy and layered with apricot and orange fruit, this is an excellent Coddington that rounds the finish with a real lick of sweet spice. A joy to drink now.
2007
Baked oats, honeyed peaches and golden mirabelle plums on the nose. There is an almost saffron and ginger note to the palate, this is exotic, spicy and mature yet still clings a little to some toasty oak. Candied citrus peel and roasted orchard fruits linger on a layered finish that is full of spice box and smoke. Drink up.
2020
This is a serious, tightly-coiled wine that is loaded with potential. Lime blossom, petrichor, wild flowers and tingling sherbety fruit on both nose and palate promise so much with bottle age. The palate is locked by a steely line of acidity, bringing supreme focus and a linear power. This is a tightly-coiled spring, one that will shine like the 2014 or 2007 in time, but give it at least two years before approaching. Very, very long with a continued note of lime and subtle, savoury wood smoke. Very, very promising.
2019
Much more approachable than the 2020 in a vintage that offsets Hunting Hill's tight-knit style. Lime oil, fresh mirabelle plum and lemon zest all come through with a subtle smokiness and leesy depth on the nose. The palate has an oily, saline tone, beautifully delineated fruit and real power. The acidity cuts through any fat in the wine, holding everything together beautifully and allowing the riper elements from the vintage to shine without overwhelming the site's natural steeliness. Very long, with a lip-smacking, moreish and spicy finish.
2014
The wine of the tasting. At a decade old this is still spilling over with energy and youthful vigour. Effervescent limes, lemons and peaches all come through, interwoven with wonderfully integrated wood spice. Piercing acids are met by intense, ripe yet mouthwatering layers of fruit. There are layers of savoury nuts and spice from bottle age, but they complement rather than dominate the fruit. This is a wine of outstanding balance and depth right at its peak. Still very long with a flourish of complexity on the finish, this is an outstanding wine.
2013
The 2013 presents as a nuttier, more savoury, more mature version of the 2014 - but it is certainly not over the hill. There is a creamier generosity to both the nose and palate that brings this iteration of Hunting Hill closer to the Maté's. Lime and gun smoke, white peach and pine nut, lemon curd and wood spice. This is a complex and accomplished wine. Drink in the next 5 years.
2010
Fireworks on the nose here, both in the enticing array of aromas and the smoky undertones on show. Lime zest, intense wild flowers and toasted hazelnuts. The palate has softened in comparison to the 2014 but it is still so youthful, with great density, precision and harmony. A superb wine that is at its apex of maturity, it stands among the best wines ever made at Kumeu River.
2007
This most famous of Hunting Hills has now entered its final phase of maturity, with a gorgeous nose lined with lime cordial, lemon balm and a steely, salty ethereal non-fruit character. The palate is all preserved lemons and salted limes, still with the oily density and razor-sharp acidity that has defined this wine for nearly two decades. Now, there are more notes of toasted nuts, cereals and a rounder, creamier edge that builds to the finish. An outstanding wine, concentrated but mature.
2020
This has a powerful, expansive nose already despite the vintage's youthful reticence overall. Bursting with fleshy peach, tangerine, lemon oil and sophisticated wood smoke, it is already multi-dimensional and very enticing. The palate has great density and is initially more tightly coiled than the nose, with a real weight of pure orchard fruit coated by a satin-like texture, grip and smoke. The fruit flourishes on the finish, expanding and showing more citrus as a wave of acidity refreshes the palate and leaves you wanting more. Very long, and you can drink it already, though there is no doubt it will be better with another year or two in bottle. Outstanding.
2019
The nose here is sweeter and more supple than the 2020, with apricots, peaches and cream and subtle baking spices. It is a generous, powerful and open-knit nose that has just a hint of tropical fruit to it. The palate is broad, oily and dense on entry, layering notes of mango, apricot and peach together. A streak of acidity cuts through the riper tones bringing some floral citrus into the mix, and there is a tightening of the screws with some pithy grip and wood smoke. This is a real showstopper, with raw power tamed by some very skilful winemaking and elevage. A brilliant wine - drink it now or over the coming decade plus.
2014
Still showing some toasty, smoky, reductive notes on the nose, with air this powerful wine reveals pulpy orchard fruits, kiwi, cereals and lemon curd. The palate is tangy with acidity, which carries the oily fruit at the core. The palate is higher toned than the nose, multi-faceted in its fruit profile which carries citrus, stone and exotic fruits together. The vintage's precision and depth is all on show, as is Maté's ripeness. This is a bold, powerful and very well made wine, but the Hunting Hill just has more tension and depth for me in this stellar vintage.
2013
The most youthful in character of the 2013s, this has impressive, oily fruit on both the nose and palate with some real vibrancy throughout. There is Maté's opulence too, but the chalky signature of the vintage gives real balance. Mandarin, blood orange and passion flower all come through with notes of beeswax and fruit curds. Creamy on the finish but still packed with fruit. The standout in 2013.
2010
There is a powerful undertow to this wine, the base notes all apricot and brioche. Up top there is still a little flinty reduction and oodles of white stone fruit. There is a golden sweetness to the sun-kissed fruit, giving a luxurious, glossy texture. The acids prop everything up, chiselling out the finer fruit elements. Incredibly moreish but serious and layered. Depth and harmony, an outstanding wine that continues to open up with half an hour in the glass.
2007
Showing its maturity over the 2010, the nose to this vintage is salty and lightly nutty with notes of toasted hazelnuts, preserved lemons and ripe peach fruit. The palate is lifted by vibrant acidity, the fruit carrying ample weight even at 17 years old. There are layers of savoury depth, now, with toasted cereals, whipped butter, hazelnut and savoury spice. This is a long, layered and very fine Maté's that is still delicious to drink in its final phases of maturity. Drink in the next 3-5 years.
2004
The saltiness of this wine is really starting to come through on the nose, together with fruit curd, dried apricot, roasted peaches and toasted nuts. The palate remains powerful and remarkably youthful in fruit at 20 years old. Creamy and rich, this is a generous, powerful, dense wine that is still impressively long on the finish. Drink in the next 2-3 years.
2002
A spicy, mature and nutty wine still with some vibrant citrus and stone fruit at the core. This is a driven wine, just becoming oily and soft with age. Full, rounded and fully mature, this is still enjoyable to drink. Complex, with its notes of spice, cream and dried fruit, this is now reaching the end of its drinking window and should be drunk up in the next year or two.
