Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2009
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The 2009 vintage was a little cooler than the previous two vintages, and the wines are a little more restrained and delicate. The Estate Chardonnay was selected from the ripest parcels of Chardonnay we harvested in 2009. The wine is more restrained on the nose than the 2008, with citrus rather than peach notes, but the texture, length of flavor and balance of the 2009 is close to perfect. Very reminiscent of the beautiful 2004 Estate Chardonnay, this wine is undoubtedly delicious to drink now, but experience with vintages such as this also indicates that the wine will benefit from bottle age of four to seven years.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Rich and deep, this features toasted hazelnut, fig and citrus flavors that have a smooth texture and vibrant acidity. The aromatics are the star here, with honeysuckle, lemon zest and green apple notes that leap out of the glass and push through on the finish.
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Wine & Spirits
From the Brajkovich family estate outside of Auckland, this wine has the sweet perfume of fresh cream from grass-fed cows. It’s soft, with a peppery edge and the savor of corn silk. Then it ends with enough tension to match a salmon souffle.
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James Suckling
A gorgeous wine with apple pie, cream, and mineral undertones. Some melon. Full and balanced with attractive oak character such as cream. Made from grapes from six different vineyards.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pencil shavings and toasted hazelnuts accent bright lime notes in the 2009 Estate Chardonnay. Relatively crisp and lean on the palate, this medium-bodied wine will likely live another five-plus years, but will it ever provide the pleasure of some other years?
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Founded in 1944 by Mick Brajkovich, wife Katé and son Maté, Kumeu River was one of the early pioneers in Auckland, New Zealand, that helped to establish its reputation as a world-class wine region. Still family owned and run, Kumeu River continues to pioneer new frontiers: winemaker Michael Brajkovich became New Zealand’s first member of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine, London, they have been testing and championing screw cap closures for close to 20 years and the winery has gone on to become the globally recognized benchmark for non-Burgundy produced Chardonnay. All Kumeu River wines are hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and demonstrate exclusive use of indigenous yeast fermentation.
The Chardonnays of Kumeu River have gained a strong foothold within the international market, continuously and consistently receiving outstanding accolades. The winery is a globally recognized benchmark for age-worthy Chardonnay outside of Burgundy.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Grape-growers in the local subregions of Clevedon, Matakana and Waiheke Island, focusing on vineyard techniques to maximize quality, are producing very fine Bordeaux Blends from local grapes. Auckland is also an industrial area where winemakers can produce quality wines based on sourced grapes from neighboring regions.