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Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington 2013
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$72.94
This wine is produced from a vineyard owned by Tim and Angela Coddington, whose grapes have contributed to the blend...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington 2014
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$65.50
This wine is produced from a vineyard owned by Tim and Angela Coddington, whose grapes have contributed to the blend...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington 2015
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$61.60
Deep and rich candied-citrus nose with hints of hazelnuts and fresh herbs. Serious richness and concentration, yet so...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$53.53
This wine is produced from a vineyard owned by Tim and Angela Coddington, whose grapes have contributed to the blend...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington 2020
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$51.45
This wine is produced from a vineyard owned by Tim and Angela Coddington, whose grapes have contributed to the blend...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Estate 2017
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$36.26
Kumeu River Chardonnay is drawn from six different vineyard sites in the Kumeu Region. We are particularly careful in...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Estate 2019
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$43.05
Kumeu River Chardonnay is drawn from six different vineyard sites in the Kumeu Region. We are particularly careful in...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Estate 2022
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle:
$64.41
Kumeu River Chardonnay is drawn from six different vineyard sites in the Kumeu Region. We are particularly careful in...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill 2014
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$73.68
Hunting Hill is a vineyard that was first planted in 1982 and became a significant part of the original Kumeu River...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill 2016
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$61.95
Hunting Hill is a vineyard that was first planted in 1982 and became a significant part of the original Kumeu River...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$59.52
This seamless white features peach and nectarine flavors that are appealingly plump and juicy, while a thread of...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Hunting Hill 2021
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$58.94
Shows a sleek frame, with fresh pear, lime and Fuji apple flavors leaping out of the glass. Offers wonderful purity...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Mate's Vineyard 2015
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$85.07
Tangy, with a mix of Key lime, pear, lemon zest and mineral flavors, showing plenty of clarity and energy from the...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Mate's Vineyard 2020
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$121.40
Rich, showing appealing ripeness to the Fuji apple, white peach, lemon curd and spice flavors, with firm acidity and...
Pre-Arrival
Kumeu River Chardonnay Mate's Vineyard 2021
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$76.94
Rich, with toasted hazelnut and spice accents of nutmeg and cardamom to the baked apple, white peach and touches of...
Chardonnay Ice Wine Mavrodaphne New Zealand Auckland Kumeu
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one which has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is the Chardonnay. This green skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape, and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
In the Archaea region, high in the Northern Peloponnese mountains, the predominant grape varietal grown is the prized Mavrodaphne. Meaning 'Black Laurel', the Mavrodaphne grapes have extremely dark skins, and ripen slowly under the Greek sunshine, helped by the mineral rich soils the vines thrive in. This grape varietal is mostly used to produce the opaque, inky fortified wine of the same name, which is popular all over Greece and elsewhere in the world. This fortified wine allows the grapes to really show off their complex and fascinating flavors, which range from a rich marzipan to flavors of bitter chocolate, sweet coffee, dried figs and prunes, as well as plenty of jammy fruit notes.
Mavrodaphne is produced in a traditional method which involves leaving the grape juice exposed to the sun in large vats, before having its fermentation halted by the addition of various distillates taken from previous successful vintages. This mixture contains plenty of residual sugar, which gives the end result its characteristic sticky sweetness, and also helps with the next fermentation process, which typically takes place in large underground cellars. The final product is a heady drink, absolutely bursting with unusual, rich and sweet flavors and carried in a dark and slightly viscous Port-like liquid.
Mavrodaphne grapes are also used for the production of still red wines, but are generally blended with varietals such as Agiorgitiko or imported grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. Mavrodaphne grapes are excellent for mellowing more acidic varieties, and producing deliciously rounded wines, which have taken the international market by storm in recent decades.
Additional Information on Greek Wines
Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?
As with nearby Australia, New Zealand has over the past century proven itself to be a superb location for producing high quality wines in vast amounts, with much of the cooler regions of both islands being used primarily for vine cultivation. New Zealand wineries are notable for their enthusiasm in regards to experimentation, and for utilizing modern technologies and methods to make the most of the imported grape varietals which flourish in the rich, fertile soils and oceanic climate. In recent years, it has been the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines which have gained the most attention, as a result of their smoky character and ability to carry the mineral rich nature of the terroir they grow in. Changing consumer interests have brought about a considerable rise in the production of organic and sustainable wines in New Zealand, of which again, the Sauvignon Blanc varietals are leading the way in regards to excellence, flavor and overall character.