Kumeu River Chardonnay Village 750 ML

Amidst initial notes of flint, tropical notions cling to the very juicy stone fruit on the nose. The palate is juicy but also textured and wonderfully fresh and precise.

Producer Information
Kumeu River is a New Zealand wine estate located just outside the town of Kumeu, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) northwest of central Auckland. It is particularly known for its Burgundian-style Chardonnay, of which it produces several expressions. The wines are critical favorites having received various international awards and accolades. Despite being well north of New Zealand’s other viticultural regions, Kumeu is kept cool by its proximity to the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. This helps the estate develop aromatics in the early-ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grape varieties. The estate was founded as San Marino Vineyards by the Brajkovich family in 1944, seven years after they had emigrated from Croatia. By the late 1970s it had a solid reputation based on hybrid grape varieties used for fortied wines and everydau reds and whites. In the 1980s, the current generation (Milan, Paul and Michael Brajkovich MW) became more involved. The company transitioned focus to high-quality production, with a focus on Burgundy-inspired Chardonnay. The Kumeu River Wines name was adopted in 1986. In 2014, a landmark blind tasting, involving critics and wine writers from aroud the world, was organized in London by Farr Vintners. It resulted in four of Kumeu’s Chardonnay wines (Maté’s, Coddington, Hunting Hill and Estate) triumphing over various top white Burgundy producers.