2021 Chardonnay Estate

Despite being in the humid climes of West Auckland, New Zealand's most famous Chardonnay producer continues to provide a benchmark for the rest of the country to emulate. A tribute to its founder, the Chardonnay Maté's Vineyard, (Maté Brajkovich was the father of current winemaker and New Zealand's first Master of Wine, Michael Brajkovich) remains the winery's flagship cuvée, but even at its entry level, the judicious handling of fruit, lees and oak offer layered styles. The family has recently added a Hawke's Bay vineyard, Rays Road, to its portfolio - spiraling real estate in Auckland has priced them out of the local market. Purchased from Trinity Hill, it sits on clay-loess over limestone in the west of the region and is already being bottled as a single vineyard cuvée. Rays Road will provide the breeding ground for non-virused, Mendoza Chardonnay clones and, in the future, will provide the replacement vineyard stocks for Maté's, which is affected by both leafroll virus and trunk disease.