Estate Chardonnay NZ 2024

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. 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.

Score: 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2025-2035 11 September 2025