Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A blend of multiple sites, Kumeu’s “Estate” bottling, in some ways, marries the best of everything. It’s a fruity number, with bright peach, melon, nougat, ginger and white blossom aromas right from first sniff, underscored gently by more lactic, toasty ones. The palate strikes a lovely balance of vibrant, crisp acidity and creamy roundness.
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James Suckling
This is fresh, crunchy and clean, with mineral and spice notes and plenty of salty undertones. Sliced lemons and apples. Medium-bodied with a fresh finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Estate Chardonnay leads with preserved citrus, white flowers, crushed nuts and brine. In the mouth, the wine is light and lacy—hints of green apple, nectarine and a little tangerine—with taut acidity that vibrates through the ethereally weighted fruit. It's a light iteration of this wine and lovely for it. It was made with handpicked fruit, whole-bunch pressed.
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Wine Spectator
A restrained version, with lemon, lime, apple and quince flavors that show details of ginger, spices and lemon verbena. There are citrus zest and pith notes on the finish. Drink now. 896 cases imported.
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.