Wine Advisor
Kumeu River, Coddington Chardonnay 2022
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Erin Larkin
The 2022 Coddington Chardonnay leads with lemon balm/oil, green-olive brine, crème brûlée top (a.k.a. scorched brown sugar), peach fuzz, and an abundance of orchard fruit. In the mouth, kiwi fruit acidity (a.k.a. juicy, sweet, tart) defines the perimeters of the flavors and beckons you in for another, closer look. It's very, very good, a distinct wine, pure, all aspects delineated and deliberate. I like this. It feels orderly and mathematical. If the wine had a sound, it would be a straight-pace bowl at the wickets, one flying out of stumps (name a better sound, I'll wait). It's not that immediately obvious, though; it builds and takes a while to assert itself, and I like that too. Very good. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
Reviewed by: Rebecca Gibb MW
The 2022 Coddington Chardonnay has breadth and depth. Its rounded and shapely curves seem to shimmy as if it was comfortably settling onto a bean bag, finding its place. Honeysuckle, pear and melon meet spiced oak. The concluding texture is well considered and cleverly done with tension. The new oak (25%) provides a corset for the wine to sit within and tightens it up, as if the wine is held by a pair of control pants.
About the Producer
The winery has 30 hectares of existing vineyards and will purchase 10 hectares of grapes from other local growers. Soil-wise, the top layer is clay soil and the bottom layer is sandstone, a soil type that locks in moisture and allows the vines to extend their roots as far down as possible without the need for irrigation. These terroirs are closely related to the quality of the Combe River Winery wines. The vineyards are close to the Tasman Sea, so the climate is relatively cool, with summer temperatures consistently below 30 degrees Celsius, which helps to enhance the aroma and flavour of early varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Vineyards are distributed in a "lyre" pattern, which is conducive to increasing the ripeness and quality of the grapes. The winery harvests grapes by hand, and each grape is carefully selected to ensure the quality of the wine. Since its inception, the winery has produced many wines of outstanding quality, with released wines including Kumeu River Chardonnay and Kumeu River Pinot Gris. River Pinot Gris), etc., are deeply loved by consumers.
