Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2011
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Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The Estate Chardonnay from this vintage is ripe, rich and concentrated. The beautiful peach and hazelnut aromas along with the rich, silky texture are distinct characteristics that are expected in this Chardonnay. This wine will benefit greatly from a period of bottle maturation of two to four years.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A rich expression that has plenty of complexity and peachy, nutty style about it, this has depth and concentration in spades and drives through the finish with bright, assertive acidity. Melon, cashew and peach flavors linger neatly. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The toasty, cedar nose is a bit overpowering in this lighter, crisper year. The 2011 Estate Chardonnay is more about lime and grapefruit than ripe peachy fruit, showing fine line and length in a medium-bodied format. Drink up.
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Wine Enthusiast
This blend is a solid value in the world of New World Chardonnay, offering faintly toasty, custardy nuances layered over a plump base of lemon and pineapple. Some intriguing nutty notes emerging on the tight, citrusy finish. Editors' Choice.
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Wine Spectator
Features rich peach and pear notes, with a butterscotch edge complemented by clean, fresh acidity. Highlights of peppery white flowers and sea salt lend this some extra charm. Drink now through 2026.
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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.