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Buy OnlineThe Brajkovich family have carved out a reputation second to none for Chardonnay and every new release adds to that reputation.
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 (2023 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."
93/100 Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, February 2025 (2023 Vintage)
"It’s a leaner, more racy expression of this wine, though it does have flavour. Pink grapefruit, fig, a little spice and ginger, light struck match, a minty perfume. It’s juicy and vibrant, saline with some green olive in brine, a lemon rind bite, with some powdery grip on a finish of good length. The main thing here though, is I really like drinking it. I was thinking 92 points, but I’m up for 93 points because it’s charmed me into it."
93/100 James Suckling (2023 Vintage)
"This is fresh, crunchy and clean, with mineral and spice notes and plenty of salty undertones. Sliced lemons and apples. Medium-bodied with a fresh finish. Drink now. Screw cap."
16.5+/20 JancisRobinson.com, September 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"A blend of six different sites in Kumeu on clay with 60% owned by the Brajkoviches but all farmed by Milan B. All dry-farmed. Lots of different clones: 15, 6, 95, 54 and 1066. Hand-harvested. Whole-bunch pressed. Spontaneous fermentation in used French oak barrels (usually 20% new but not for this lighter vintage). 100% malo. 11 months’ maturation in barrel.
Distinctly lemon nose and mouth-filling. Good substance on the palate and definition. Great drink for the near term! Quite a step up from the Village. Athletic. I asked about ageability and was assured by Paul Brajkovich that the 2019 is looking very good now. Neat finish."
91/100 Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com, December 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"The 2023 Estate Chardonnay leads with preserved citrus, white flowers, crushed nuts and brine. In the mouth, the wine is light and lacy—hints of green apple, nectarine and a little tangerine—with taut acidity that vibrates through the ethereally weighted fruit. It's a light iteration of this wine and lovely for it. It was made with handpicked fruit, whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented using indigenous yeasts."
