Wine Advisor
Kumeu River, Cremant Rose NV
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Erin Larkin
The NV Kumeu Crémant Rosé is based on the 2018 vintage. It was bottled May 2018 and disgorged November 2022. There are six grams per liter of residual sugar. In the glass, the wine is a very pretty shade of salmon/flamingo; the color comes from the addition in the dosage, and the final cépage in the wine was 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. On the nose, this is aromatic, floral and layered with red berries and white spice. In the mouth, the wine is plump and lovely, with lashings of strawberries and redcurrants, before a savory turn at the finish leads us to Szechuan peppercorns and a hint of sandalwood. 13% alcohol, sealed under Diam.
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.
