KEY POINTS:
It's about an hour's drive from the Seattle CBD but from what my friend reckoned, the food was worth the trip and, he assured me, the wine list was up to scratch.
It was in the middle of nowhere and after a couple of wrong turns we walked into a cute, large wooden cabin kind of place with a welcoming fire and lots of other diners who obviously felt the pilgrimage was worth it.
The wine list was exhaustive, eclectic, and impressive. Only one New Zealand wine: Kumeu River Chardonnay. This was the late 90s and New Zealand wines did not exactly dominate the landscape, especially in North America.
At US$70 a bottle, it was not the cheapest in town. Two bottles were requested. "Excellent choice," said the sommelier, "it's from New Zealand, a small country underneath Australia with lots of sheep." Kumeu River's Brajkovich family are part of our country's wine royalty.
The late, larger-than-life Mate died in 1992, but the boys - Milan, Michael and Paul, under the ever-watchful eye of mother Melba - continue a fine family tradition of elegant, rich, flavoursome chardonnays and, latterly, other varietals. But it's the chardonnay that leads the charge.
Earlier they tended to be big, buttery beasts, but as chief winemaker and master of wine Michael observes, "our wines have become less buttery over the years".
Kumeu River were in the vanguard of New Zealand wines making a good showing in the United States and some early positive reviews from influential US wine writers proved a blessing. But being anointed by the wine gate-keepers doesn't guarantee ongoing sales. "You've got to keep oiling the wheel and showing up - you can't rely on past successes," says Michael.
A recent tasting of the 2007 chardonnays from the entry-level Kumeu River Village to the top-end Mate's Vineyard is proof enough no one's resting on their laurels here.
Recommended
2007 Kumeu River Village Chardonnay A blend of grapes from a number of vineyard sites, this is astonishing value for money. Fresh, biting, not too big, finely tuned. Lovely.
Price: $18-$20
2006 Kumeu River Melba's Vineyard Merlot A tribute to the matriarch, this is a deep, dense blackberry colour. Cherry and brambles on the nose, touches of tobacco and earth on the palate. Tending dry, it's delicious and classy.
Price: $36-$38
