2006 Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay. My love affair with the 2006 vintage of this great chardonnay maker continues. The Coddington bottling is proving perhaps the most attractive early drinking out of the handful of chardonnay labels produced by Kumeu River from the 2006 vintage.

It is pale in colur still. The nose of this wine is attractive classy and complex with fine citrus notes reminding me of sweet bottled lemons with a whiff of nectarine and peach stone. Flavours are dominated by grapefruit, river pebble and citrus pith augmented by marmalade and buttered toast. Fine, mouthwatering acidity runs structure and spine through the palate. It is a richly built wine and the texture is creamy and almost filmy clinging to every taste bud as it lights up. The immense concentration and persistence allows for great length which lasts and lasts for minutes after swallowed. This is a serious chardonnay that should improve if you can keep your hands off it for 2-4 years. It is bold but at the same time refined. This was a great match for pan fried salmon where the acid provides great balance to a very rich cut of fish. 98+/109