Description
Kumeu River, northwest of Auckland is without a doubt NZ’s finest chardonnay producer. Master of Wine and winemaker Michael Brajkovich has been crafting fine chardonnay at the estate since the 1980’s. Hand picked fruit and vigorous selection from the low yielding vines, whole bunch pressed, wild yeasts, 100% fermented in French oak barriques and full malolactic fermentation to soften the pristine acidity and add texture and dimension. Not surprising Michael is not shy in comparing his Chardonnays with the great White Burgundies like Domain Leflaive!
At a blind tasting in London (May 2015) of the most highly esteemed White Burgundies with a panel of experts (included leading wine writers Jancis Robinson and Neal Martin of eRobertParker.com) the Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2012 was the hightest rated wine against Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet and Anne-Claude Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet .. wines vastly more expensive! As Jancis reported .. “won hands down, costing a fraction of the wines they trounced” and added that “the Kumeu wines shone because they were better made and more sophisticated….fresh as a daisy and clearly a glorious future ahead”. Other comments from the tasting:- Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate .. “Kumeu River’s Chardonnays … some of the best in the world … a world-class estate producing world-class wines.” Mathew Jukes “…crushed the Old World stars with ease! You must find a space for these wines in your cellar …these are incredible wines. One sip is all that is needed to add Kumeu to your list of greats.”
Only the best parcels of fruit from six different vineyard sites go into the Estate Label. Hand harvested, whole-bunch pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation, 100% barrel fermentation,100% malo-lactic fermentation for 11 months.
Jancis Robinson MW “This is Kumeu River’s calling card.”
2025 is shaping up as another outstanding year for one of the Southern Hemisphere’s great Chardonnay producers. Auckland’s driest summer since 1958 brought steady, extreme-free warmth — just two days over 28°C — that allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and evenly, which Michael Brajkovich MW says was “ideal for developing fruit aromas and flavours.” Yields have bounced back after two lean vintages, and the resulting Chardonnays, though still young, already show the freshness, chalky texture and precision that suggest they’ll rank among Kumeu River’s finest.
“Perhaps the best value Chardonnay that will ever grace your glass and pleasantly surprise you with its ability to age for at least a decade under screwcap…” Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
About this wine: The 2025 Estate Chardonnay combines fruit from six Kumeu vineyard sites, all rooted in the region’s clay soils, with Waitakere Road particularly important in the blend. Every vineyard is dry-farmed, with vines commonly trained on open lyre trellises for excellent light exposure and canopy airflow. The grapes are hand-harvested and selected, then whole-bunch pressed before barrel fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine completes 100% malolactic fermentation and spends 11 months on lees — the same meticulous attention given to the estate’s single-vineyard Chardonnays.
The result is a Chardonnay of impressive depth, refinement and longevity, combining Kumeu’s core character with beautifully judged barrel work and texture. It’s also one of the estate’s most compelling values.
17 points (out of 20) Jancis Robinson MW “Looks quite substantial, even dense! Leaner on the nose than the Hawke’s Bay wines. Lots to chew on. The most ambitious Estate bottling yet. This would not look out of place at all in Puligny!”
95 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “White peach, grapefruit, smoked almond, aniseed, a little spice and honey floral perfume. It’s bright, a lovely and lively bite to acidity with some almond creaminess, juicy pear and citrus, lime rind, parmesan rind too, a light flinty grip to texture, with a cool and long finish that offers a little fresh pineapple zing, but also has a savoury and salted pastry dough thing happening. Gee, this is a very strong vintage for this wine. It’s a ripper.”
94 points, James Suckling “Very aromatic, with white peaches and orchard blossom lifted by a touch of sourdough and wet clay. Medium-bodied, with brisk acidity setting the tone, subtle and delicate in feel with crisp freshness running through to a long, precise finish. “
93 points, Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate “Hailing from the exceptional 2025 growing season, the 2025 Estate Chardonnay leads initially with toasty/pencilly oak notes; however, the fruit on the palate is where the quality of the vintage is on show. Here we have yellow peach, sea salt, toasted sage leaf (even bay), quince, fig and white flowers. The acidity is prodigious, and this serves as a prop in the middle of the palate, providing real tension and fierceness to the otherwise ripe fruit. This is a very good wine, and the length through the finish is impressive. “
RRP $63 Our Special Price $48.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
