Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2021 (750ML)

97 WE / 95 FS / 94 WS / 93 VM / 17 JR

#17 Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2023

Following an outstanding 2020 vintage, the '21s are, remarkably, even better. Coddington is the richest in the Kumeu Chard stable. Concentrated notes of honeyed peach, pineapple rind and buttered toast pulse with drive and force. The richness comes from fruit ripeness—the oak is present but in a supporting role—with a mouthwatering acidity. It's shapely, long and elegant, and gives Meursault Premier Cru a serious run for its money. - Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast 

Stunning, fresh and vibrant, with juicy pear, yellow apple and quince notes at the core. This wine's details reveal themselves slowly on the sleek finish, where a whiff of smoke, a touch of litsea oil, fresh-grated ginger and a hint of jasmine emerge. Drink now through 2030. 700 cases made, 168 cases imported. - MW, Wine Spectator 

Jazz hands at the ready, the Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington is always ready to welcome you in with its full, svelte figure and no hard edges, and the 2021 is no different. However, this year there's an additional touch of purpose that keeps it fresh and full of intention. Good depth and weight here, perhaps due to the lower crop after frost made for small yields. There's a sense of feel, a sense of wanting to chew on the finish. Savory characters, festive spices and nutty notes, likely derived from its 25% new oak and time on lees in barrel, join the restrained white stone fruit. -- Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous Media