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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)
"Rays Road is Kumeu River’s new vineyard site in Hawkes Bay. This limestone hillside is at 180 m 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."
Michael Brajkovich MW, Winemaker notes (2023 Vintage)
"The most encouraging thing about 2023 is that all of the individual vineyard terroir characters are shining through strongly, still giving that strong sense of place and vineyard character.
Everything was harvested by hand, allowing for meticulous triage so that only high quality fruit made it to the presses. We decided to use no new oak for fermentation, but having such a small vintage meant that the proportion of 1 and 2 year-old barrels was much higher than usual, and the oak feel to these wines is very similar to a normal vintage."
94/100 James Suckling, June 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"A tight, focused and dense white. Sliced cooked apples, minerals and stone, with hints of dried mangoes. It’s medium-bodied and focused with a flavourful finish. Lime undertones. Drink or hold."
Jane Skilton MW, September 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"Taut and lean, there is a subtle, yet noticeable layer of new oak, a feature that I haven’t seen in previous vintages. Brajkovich explained he chose to introduce some new oak in 2023, with part of the blend aged in the barrels from the tonnellerie favoured by Dauvissat. Oyster shell and yellow grapefruit with a strong acid spine.The chalky texture is very attractive. Drink from 2025 – 2030."
17/20 JancisRobinson.com, September 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"Hand-harvested in this Raukawa vineyard acquired in late 2017 from Trinity Hill as a joint project with Pascal Jolivet of the Loire. Whole-bunch pressed Spontaneous fermentation and 100% barrel-fermentation in used French oak. 100% malo and 11 months’ maturation in barrel. The first Kumeu River vintage was 2018 but they reckon this is the best so far. Since acquiring the vineyard in 2018 they have been systematically replacing the Sauvignon Blanc vines, whose fruit is sold off, with Chardonnay. (Trinity Hill’s clone 95 Chardonnay planted in early 2005 is reckoned a bit too austere for the Rays Road bottling so goes into the Village bottling.) They may eventually release single-block Chardonnays. Quite intense, bright fruit. Excellently aromatic. Almost pungent with a hint of putty. Lots of punchy fruit. Very complete with an appetising dry finish."
