A brilliant vintage for the overperforming Kiwi estate

'If you can taste history, duty and family pride in a glass, it's there in the Kumeu River Chardonnays...now producing some of New Zealand's greatest Chardonnays, not to mention the world's.' - Lisa-Perrotti Brown

New Zealand may be conventionally known for Sauvignon Blanc, but it's Chardonnay where the critical acclaim is really at just now - nowhere more so than with the brilliant Kumeu River. In a widely-publicised blind tasting earlier this year, Kumeu River Chardonnays beat a range of top white Burgundies in every flight. Neal Martin, one of the judges, has written that he considers the Kumeu Chardonnays to be not only some of the best in New Zealand, but 'some of the best in the world'.

So who are these upstarts? Founded in 1944 (though the first vintage with the Kumeu name on it is 1985), Kumeu River can lay claim to being one of the founding estates of the New Zealand wine industry. Over the years, they have experimented with a range of grape varieties, but it is always Chardonnay that has done best in their clay-on-sandstone soils. They vinify with natural yeasts, long-lees aging, and oak only with a discreet touch. The result is a range of single vineyard Chardonnays of exceptional character and definition.

Vintage conditions in 2014 were nigh-on perfect; from budbreak to flowering to harvest, the weather was just right. With the fruit in beautiful condition, harvest was fast and the winery had to work overtime to keep up. Winemaker Michael Brajkovich MW is confident that their 2014 vintage will be regarded as "one of the greatest ever". Aromas are generous, flavours are big and rounded, and the individual vineyard characters are more clearly defined. With such high quality fruit across the board this year, the Village and Estate Chardonnays represent exceptionally good value. /NT 

Offered subject to confirmation for shipment winter 2015/16