KORO is Maori for grandfather and this range is named in honour of Royce McKean’s great-great-great-grandfather, Chief Tiki Tere Mihi. This is our most exclusive range and currently has a Central Otago Pinot Noir and a Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. The Koro range wines are individually hand- crafted from grapes harvested at optimum ripeness and made in very limited quantities.
Hawke's Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand and the second largest. Located at 39.4°S, in the North Island of New Zealand, our climate is maritime and similar to Bordeaux. This region is well known for their rich, complex Chardonnays
A delicate, pale straw green
Exhibits a very strong combination of Mendoza Chardonnay fruit, complex toasty oak and yeast lees along with subtle malolactic fermentation aromas.
A full-flavoured Chardonnay delivering clear varietal flavours supported by a fullness and creaminess derived from extended time on yeast lees in barrel. Full malolactic fermentation has helped to soften the wine and add complexity of flavour that is supported by a smoky oak background from the barrel-aging.
100% Hawke’s Bay
The weather conditions were perfect for bringing the Chardonnay fruit to full maturity while still retaining a good level of natural acidity to ensure freshness and flavour. Climatically there were few challenges so harvest decisions could be made on flavour ripeness.
The fruit was hand-harvested at optimum ripeness and transported quickly to the winery. It was then whole-bunch pressed using a Champagne cycle with no press cuts. Pressing was followed by cold settling to clarify the juice. The clear juice was fermented in 70% new French Oak Barriques with a selection of Chardonnay yeast and then went through a full malolactic fermentation to add complexity to the palate. After fermenting in the barrel, the wine was aged for ten months on yeast lees with fortnightly stirring to encourage extraction of yeast mannoproteins that aid with palate weight and roundness.
Evan Ward
100% Chardonnay
100% barrel fermentation and maturation for eleven months
Alc Vol: 13.50% vol
Acidity (TA): 5.30 g/l
pH: 3.6 g/l
Residual Sugar: Dry
2017/19 - will continue to develop for a further five years.
Perfect with seafood with rich cream-based sauces or roast chicken. For a speciality cheese match try Parmesan, Aged Cheddar or Aged Gouda.
5 STARS Wine Orbit, September 2016
4.5 STARS Michael Cooper, August 2018.
4 STARS Raymond Chan, September 2016
Central Otago is the most southerly grape-growing region in the world. Located at 45º south, it shares unique geographical and climactic conditions with some of the world’s most prestigious wine-producing regions. Burgundy and the northern Rhone in France, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley in the SA, are all at latitudes between 45º and 47º north.
Intensely and brightly coloured wine with a deep red/purple hue
It is sweetly fragrant and inviting on the nose showing red/black cherry, raspberry coulis, vanilla and hazelnut characters with a hint of savoury complexity.
Juicy and beautifully rounded, displaying plush texture and silky tannins, finishing long and velvety. The wine delivers pristine fruit flavours together with spicy/savoury nuances, making it instantly appealing.
100% Wanaka, Central Otago
2016 was a great vintage for Pinot. Our crops were balanced and the summer was not too hot or cold with an amazingly long and dry autumn that let the grapes develop to ultimate ripeness to create this bold wine.
Vintage 2016 was the first time in 22 years we had to protect the new spring growth from the often disastrous frosts, and it worked. The cooler start to the season meant bunches were smaller than in recent years, yields were lower. The typically beautiful Central Otago summer and autumn weather, with record high temperatures in February, ensured the quality of fruit on the vine. 2016 gave us time, time on the vines to ripen slowly, develop flavours and harvest when we deemed the grapes perfect – definitely one of our best and most enjoyable seasons to date.
Contract
100% Pinot Noir
100% stainless steel with oak barriques for eleven months
Alc Vol: 14.6 %
Acidity (TA): 6.0 g/l
pH: 5.58 g/l
Residual Suga: r0.25 g/l
Drinking well now but will continue to develop for a further five years from vintage date.
Pinot Noir can be enjoyed with an extraordinary variety of dishes. This wine is best suited to full-flavoured dishes such as venison with savoury sauces, roast duck or a pork loin served with potatoes and herbs.
5 STARS Wine Orbit, December 2017
4 STARS Raymond Chan, January 2018
4 STARS Wine State PIN Tasting, October 2018
92/100 James Suckling, October 2018
Hawke's Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand and the second largest. Located at 39.4°S, in the North Island of New Zealand, our climate is maritime and similar to Bordeaux. This region is well known for their rich, complex Chardonnays
A deep garnet red
Ripe aromatics of plums and dark fruits with a smoky, oaky tannin complexity.
The Merlot, that dominates the blend, contributes a plumminess to the fruit spectrum while hand-crafting using French oak has added palate and aromatic complexity. The palate is richly textured and finishes with great length of fine, structural tannins that are a hallmark of the sub-region.
100% Hawke’s Bay
The growing season weather conditions were perfect for bringing the fruit to full maturity. The large diurnal temperature fluctuations have provided excellent ripeness while still retaining elegant fruit flavours.
The grapes were grown under organic management and the wine was made following organic principles, from hand-picked fruit sourced from Hawke’s Bay vineyards whose deep, well-drained shingle soil structure encourages the fruit to optimise its tannin levels. Batches were fermented separately, mostly with indigenous yeast, and then a period of post-ferment maceration was observed to help tannin extraction and development. The batches were individually basket-pressed and all had a full malolactic fermentation. Oak aging for 18 months was followed by blending then several months in tank to harmonise prior to fining and bottling.
Contract
75% Merlot & 25% Cabernet Sauvignon
Premium French oak maturation for 18 months.
Alc Vol: 13.5 %
Acidity (TA): 5.8 g/l
pH: 3.54g/l
Residual Sugarless than 1g/l
2018/21 - will continue to develop for a further 5 years.
This wine can be enjoyed with an extraordinary variety of dishes but is best suited to full-flavoured food such as braised lamb shanks or slightly charred barbecued beef.
5 STARS Wine Orbit, December 2017
4 STARS Raymond Chan, December 2017
The Waipara Valley is snuggled in the lee of the Teviotdale hills that provide protection from cool easterly winds but are open to the warming northwest winds. The protective Southern Alps ensure low rainfall, abundant sunshine and often very warm summers. The hot, dry nor’wester winds are tempered by the cooling sea breezes and the occasional cold southerly fronts.
Bright, dark cherry red.
Richly fruited and beautifully expressed, the bouquet shows dark berry, game, black olive and toasted almond characters.
Displaying excellent fruit concentration and weight, wonderfully enhanced by supple mouthfeel and fine tannins. The wine offers elegance as well as loads of delectable fruit flavours.
100% Waipara, Canterbury
2016 was a great vintage for pinot. Our crops were balanced and the summer was not too hot or cold with an amazing long and dry autumn that let the grapes develop to ultimate ripeness to create this
bold wine.
Traditional Burgundian methods were used for vinification & elevage. A proportion of the whole bunch was placed at the bottom of the vats, with destemmed berries on top. One week cold soak was followed by a natural fermentation during which time the floating cap of skins was plunged twice daily. After fermentation, the wine was tasted daily to determine the day of press. Total cuvaison was around three weeks. It was gently pressed pneumatically then aged in French oak for 18 months on yeast lees. The Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in spring.
Contract
100% Pinot Noir.
Alc Vol: 14.2 %
Acidity (TA): 6.0 g/l
pH: 3.6 g/l
Residual Sugar<1g/l
Drinking well now but will continue to develop for a further five years from vintage date.
Pinot Noir can be enjoyed with an extraordinary variety of dishes. This wine is best suited to full-flavoured dishes such as venison with savoury sauces, roast duck or a pork loin served with potatoes and herbs.
92 points James Suckling, Oct 2018
Silver, Sommelier Wine Awards, May 2018
5 STARS Wine Orbit, January 2018
4 STARS Raymond Chan Wine Reviews, December 2017
