Winemaker Notes
This wine is delightful as an aperitif, and even better to drink with fish and shellfish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
“Village” may be the entry level wine of this famed producer’s range, but this vintage, particularly, is one of the best bargains in Chardonnay. Smoky, struck-match and toasted nut characters are at the fore, the citrus-rind notes just behind. In the mouth, there’s lovely salt-flecked citrus that, combined with the bright tingly acidity, makes it easy to take another sip.
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James Suckling
A delicious chardonnay with a sour lemon, cooked apple and grapefruit undertone. Medium body. Tangy and fruity.
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Jasper Morris
A blend of Hawkes Bay and Auckland fruit, this is surprisingly approachable with a bright juicy meyer lemon and crisp grapefuit fruit character. A wee hint of biscotti on the palate gives an textural edge with succulent acidity ensuring a crisp, citrus finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Village Chardonnay is silky and sleek in the mouth, with lemon flesh, curd, almond meal and brine. The wine has loads of flavor but is restrained and composed; it's a really great entrée to the world of Kumeu River. Eighty percent of the fruit is from the Hawke's Bay vineyard.
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.