2024 Coddington Chardonnay, Kumeu River

Golden Hush

Rich, plush and beautifully composed, the 2024 Coddington Chardonnay is the most openly generous of Kumeu River’s single-vineyard wines, but it wears that richness with real grace. Ripe peach, apricot and white flowers rise first, followed by lemon curd, toasted hazelnut and a faint saline note that keeps everything feeling poised rather than opulent. There is lovely breadth through the palate, with silky texture and layers of stone fruit, cream and gentle oak spice, yet the wine never loses its line. A fine thread of acidity carries it through, giving shape, freshness and a long, polished finish that feels both luxurious and quietly precise. In 2024, the Coddington vineyard was the lowest-yielding of Kumeu’s sites, which helped bring extra concentration and texture to the wine.

For when: the roast is golden, the table is full, and the white needs to feel every bit as special as the meal.
Pairs with: lobster, roast chicken, creamy mushroom dishes, or turbot with butter and herbs.
If this wine were a place: a quiet dining room at dusk, all soft light, polished wood and the promise of something delicious.

Coddington is one of Kumeu River’s most distinctive single-vineyard sites, planted in 1990 and known for producing the richest, most peachy expression in the range. The vineyard’s clay soils help give the wine its generosity and texture, while spontaneous fermentation and around 11 months in French oak bring shape and subtle savoury depth rather than obvious oakiness.