In Bond Fine Wine. 2024 Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay, Kumeu, New Zealand. White new zealand - white in 6x75cl. Top critic score: 98/100 (RG). Drinking window: 2025–2044. Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
Kumeu River is one of New Zealand’s benchmark producers and has earned a worldwide reputation for Chardonnays that regularly draw comparisons with top white Burgundy. Founded by the Brajkovich family, the estate combines cool-climate vineyards with Burgundian inspired winemaking to produce wines of remarkable purity, freshness and longevity. Chardonnay is the star, from the superb value Village and Estate Chardonnay through to the single vineyard Coddington, Hunting Hill and much feted Maté’s Vineyard. The range also includes elegant, cool-climate Pinot Noir, with an emphasis throughout on balance, precision and expression of site. The 2024 vintage is a particular highlight - small in quantity but exceptional in quality, producing beautifully concentrated, fresh and balanced wines. It is one of Kumeu River’s finest recent vintages and further evidence of why the estate is regarded among…
Erin Larkin (EL) — 95–97/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com · Drink 2025 - 2039
The 2024 Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay is mouthfilling and full, easily the biggest and most powerful of the single-vineyard Chardonnays in this 2024 release. "In terms of quality, 2024 is up there with the best of them: 2022, 2020, 2014..." This feels perhaps as statuesque and thrilling as the best of the Maté's so far, with intensity that explodes in every direction on the palate—length and width—…
Rebecca Gibb MW (RGM) — 98/100 · Vinous, 2026-02-01 · Drink 2026 - 2044
Winemaker Michael Brajkovich, MW, does it again with the 2024 Chardonnay Maté's Vineyard. It is super young and not ready for the grand reveal, but you can’t mistake class, no matter its age. Aromatically, the 2024 is hardly expressive, but this is Chardonnay, so calm your jets—beeswax and honeydew melon for now. The palate is compact and firm, yet it holds a wealth of density at its core. The vi…