Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2016

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The family who began this winery and still run it today are Croatian. Mick Brajkovich, together with his wife Katé and son Maté, emigrated from Croatia in 1938. Once they had saved up enough money, they bought a parcel of land in the Auckland area and began farming. They grew grapes and made wine for family consumption, as was common back home in Dalmatia. Very quickly the quality of their wines was recognized by the Auckland elite and they found that they had a growing wine business. As the family business grew, so did the family.

The current generation’s winemaker, Michael Brajkovich, is the eldest son of Maté and has taken the business very seriously. He was the first winemaker in New Zealand to become a certified Master of Wine, and since the 1980s has focused the direction of the winery on Burgundian varietals. Kumeu River is known for its Chardonnay production. The 2016 Kumeu River “Kumeu Village” Chardonnay is one of the best examples of serious New Zealand Chardonnay on the market. While showcasing plenty of ripe, tropical fruit notes, and a creamy texture from the malolactic fermentation that it undergoes, it still maintains a crisp acidity and stays light on its feet. Michael primarily ages this wine in stainless steel, with 25% used French barriques to add texture and a subtle sweet oak spice. A combination of traditional Burgundian techniques married to vibrant, ripe, yet balanced New Zealand fruit.

Country: New Zealand

Rating: 90 Points by James Suckling

Tasting Note: The wine was fermented 25% in old French oak barriques, and 75% in stainless steel tanks, so there is very little oak influence on either nose or palate. This has allowed the vibrant fruit to show through beautifully with lively lime and lemon aromas and a flinty, mineral edginess with hints of fig and white peach.

The 2016 Village Chardonnay has a weighty mid-palate also shows peachy ripeness along with crisp acid minerality that gives the wine a refreshing cleansing quality. This wine is delightful as an aperitif, and even better to drink with fish and shellfish.

現在掌門的Michael Brajkovich在父親過逝後與媽媽及兩位弟弟把酒莊帶到如今地位，Michael在南澳知名農業大學Roseworthy完成學業，之後到波爾多見習(Chateau Magdelaine)，並在1983年回到故鄉。為期不短的見習為他確定一個方向：與澳洲或是美國大集團式的生產相比，法國的小農哲學更適合紐西蘭。

這也成為他回國後力行的準則，於是他開始尋找排水良好的地塊並決定少產以維持品質，此一同時同產區的大戶酒莊"Corban"還在搜括多產肥沃的土地，如今Corban酒莊已經消失而Kumeu River卻成為Auckland最具代表性的白酒酒莊。

Michael同時利用clone及砧木的多變性去對抗當地的潮濕氣候與疾病，並採用Lyre這種引枝方式疏落葉棚讓更多光線及空氣得以流通。而最重要的一項措施，也是目前酒莊保持品質的關鍵：使用人工採收以從第一關就淘汰不良葡萄。

飲酒筆記：這是一款產自新西蘭奧克蘭產區的白葡萄酒，由霞多麗釀成。這款酒主打清新感，有55%的酒液是在不銹鋼罐中進行發酵的，橡木桶賦予的風味微乎其微，因而果味馨香宜人，散發酸橙、檸檬等水果香氣以及礦物質氣息，還伴有些無花果和白桃香氣。酒款入口脆爽，清新迷人，非常適合做開胃酒飲用，亦可搭配海鮮、雞肉和意粉享用。