Kumeu River 2021 Chardonnay, Rays Road, Hawks Bay, NZ
Item Number: 51 80 345 21
Kumeu River 2021 Chardonnay, Rays Road, Hawks Bay, NZ
World Class Chardonnay from NZ
Quick Taste
- 96 Points!
- Dry Farmed
- Barrel Fermented
- "feels fresh and mineral-driven"
- "The oak is sculpted into the wine. There’s beautifully tingly acidity and a long finish."
About Kumeu River 2021 Chardonnay, Rays Road, Hawks Bay, NZ
The Brajkovich family and Kumeu River Wines is a story that parallels the New Zealand wine industry. From the pioneering days to the establishment of the New Zealand wine industry to today, the Brajkovich family have been internationally recognised as producing world class wine. mThe Brajkovichs are focused on and internationally recognised as producing world class Chardonnay.
Kumeu River Wines encompasses 72 acres of vineyards, which are predominantly clay soils overlying a sandstone base. These soil types retain sufficient water at depth, even during the summer months, to ensure the deep vine roots continue to hydrate the vine without excessive vigour. Therefore, the vineyard doesn’t require irrigation, a factor that is critical to the quality of Kumeu River’s grapes.
Rays Road is Kumeu River’s new vineyard site in Hawkes Bay. This limestone hillside is at 575 feet of altitude, with a northerly aspect. It is dry-farmed to yield high quality grapes for wine under the Rays Road name for our Kumeu River label. This Chardonnay was hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels to give a wine that is zesty and fragrant, with mineral complexity that is very true to its site.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored this 96 points saying "Kumeu’s limestone hillside in Hawkes Bay has really stepped it up in just one year. It’s the most overtly fruity of the range, but always feels fresh and mineral-driven, too, as if blown through with a salty sea breeze. Notes of lemon zest, melon and orange blossom are underpinned by toffee, cream and oak spice. There’s richness on the palate but it’s a different shape than some of the other Kumeu Chards. The oak is sculpted into the wine. There’s beautifully tingly acidity and a long finish."
Kumeu River Wines encompasses 72 acres of vineyards, which are predominantly clay soils overlying a sandstone base. These soil types retain sufficient water at depth, even during the summer months, to ensure the deep vine roots continue to hydrate the vine without excessive vigour. Therefore, the vineyard doesn’t require irrigation, a factor that is critical to the quality of Kumeu River’s grapes.
Rays Road is Kumeu River’s new vineyard site in Hawkes Bay. This limestone hillside is at 575 feet of altitude, with a northerly aspect. It is dry-farmed to yield high quality grapes for wine under the Rays Road name for our Kumeu River label. This Chardonnay was hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels to give a wine that is zesty and fragrant, with mineral complexity that is very true to its site.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored this 96 points saying "Kumeu’s limestone hillside in Hawkes Bay has really stepped it up in just one year. It’s the most overtly fruity of the range, but always feels fresh and mineral-driven, too, as if blown through with a salty sea breeze. Notes of lemon zest, melon and orange blossom are underpinned by toffee, cream and oak spice. There’s richness on the palate but it’s a different shape than some of the other Kumeu Chards. The oak is sculpted into the wine. There’s beautifully tingly acidity and a long finish."
Wine Details
- Alcohol % 14.0%
- Bottle Size 750 ml
- Wine Type White
- Country New Zealand
Need help? Talk with a Wine Concierge
We’ll help you make the perfect selection
Call 800.962.8463