The Brajkovich family have carved out a reputation second to none for Chardonnay and every new release adds to that reputation.
"For us the 2022 vintage is right up there with 2021." – Michael Brajkovich, Winemaker
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
"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."
Winery notes (2022 Vintage)
"Kumeu River Chardonnay is drawn from six different vineyard sites in the Kumeu Region. We are particularly careful in selecting only the very best grapes from these vineyards for our Kumeu River Estate label.
The excellent 2022 vintage came on the heels of three others, in a magnificent chain of four superb quality harvests. The Kumeu vineyards that contribute to this wine gave us a blend of Chardonnay that is particularly ripe, peachy and not only delicious to drink. But also has the concentration and lingering complexity that we expect from this wine. This is quality Chardonnay wine of style and pedigree that we know has the capability of aging as well as any of its predecessors.
Hand harvested Whole-bunch pressed Indigenous yeast fermentation 100% barrel fermentation 100% malo-lactic fermentation 11 months maturation in barrel"
94/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, June 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"The new vintage of this wine from Kumeu – the ‘Estate’ is a benchmark NZ Chardonnay. Pale lemon-green in the glass, with a bright and effusive perfume. Just a tickle of reductivity on the nose – a flinty minerality that adds complexity and interest. Varietally-pure aromas that reflect lemon peel, hazelnut, white peach, oatmeal, grapefruit and a lift of spring flowers. The palate is tight, fresh and needs a really good swirl of air to start to unfurl – more than ever, this might be an ‘Estate’ to put away for a few years to fully enjoy. The balance between a saline acidity, ripe citrus fruits, a sliver of toasty oak, savoury notes of green olive and tarragon, and a briney minerality is exquisitely handled. The texture is also important in this expression – with plenty of lees-influenced creaminess. The finish is dry, lengthy and pure."
93/100 Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, June 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"White peach, almond meal, subtle floral and fennel/mint perfume, light cinnamon spice. It’s fluid and mellifluous, almond biscuit with some citrus and apple, fine powdery texture, flecked with pleasant green things, a slight oyster shell flavour and a cool and creamy finish of excellent length, with a subtle sappy aftertaste. Calm, composed and such a lovely thing to drink. Highly recommended."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, July 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"Very impressive bouquet of purity, ripeness and completeness. Aromas and flavours of ripe white fleshed fruits and citrus, layers of gentle spices and complexity from barrel work. There's a fine lees quality layering in fine mid palate tannins and mouthfeel. A complete wine ready to drink from 2024 through 2029."
91/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, August 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"Bright, tangy, high-energy wine with grapefruit, green apple, oyster shell and lemon blossom flavours supported by taut acidity that gives the wine a nod in the direction of Chablis."