2021 Kumeu River Mates Vineyard Chardonnay

Other Reviews....
Lots of minerality with crushed stone, chalk, white grapefruit, peach stones, white apricots, wild herbs and lavender. Touch of cedar. Evolves to nutmeg and crushed almonds. Wow. It really builds on the palate, leading to a crescendo and intensity that blows your mind. Compact and phenolic, yet so agile and refined. Goes on for minutes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
99 points
James Suckling

In my not-so-humble opinion, if Te Mata Estate Coleraine is New Zealand’s greatest red wine, then Kumeu Maté’s is probably their greatest white wine. People seem to dig these emphatic statements, so I’m here to provide them. Any arguments? Good, I thought not.
Struck match, ginger, pink grapefruit, green pear, hazelnut, cut fennel and white flowers. It’s bony, tight and very flinty and ‘mineral’, with ripe lemon and zest, a subtle chicken stock/umami flavour, white mushroom and spice, firm and dry, a little dirt under the nails, and gap-toothed charm, a wild and unfettered beauty, and all the length and energy you could ask for. Superb. So wild, but so at ease with itself. Or something like that. Drink 2024 - 2032+.
97 points
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front