Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2023, Hawkes Bay

Kumeu River make Chardonnay that gets mistaken for white Burgundy by people who ought to know better. A single bottle, and you should try it. 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. Careful selection in 2023 was crucial in maintaining the quality and high standard of the Estate Chardonnay that we have set ourselves for over 35 years. Due to the lighter vintage the alcohol is a moderate 12.5% and no new oak was used in the vinification of this wine. There was a high proportion of 1 & 2 year old barrels and this has provided a beautiful balance to the Chardonnay which is a little more citrus in 2023 rather than peachy. The wine begins with a fragrant lemon aroma with hint of white peach. The palate silky and balanced with a lovely citrus finish. Delicious now but, as always, benefits from bottle age of 4-6 years. Hand harvested; Whole-bunch pressed; Indigenous yeast fermentation; 100% barrel fermentation; French Oak; 100% malo-lactic fermentation; 11 months maturation in barrel; 12.5% vol. Drink with Seafood • Pasta • Chicken • Risotto "Amongst the very best Chardonnay producers in the world is Kumeu River in New Zealand… And to think that you can buy an entire case of Kumeu River for the cost of a single bottle of some Grand Crus." Neal Martin "If Michael Brajkovich MW were a Burgundian rather than a New Zealander, he would be among the most celebrated white winemakers in the Côte de Beaune, right up there with the likes of Dominique Lafon, Pierre-Vves Colin Morey and Jean-Marc Roulot." - Tim Atkin MW Kumeu River have established an unshakable reputation as masters of Chardonnay, not only on the New Zealand stage but, as Neal Martin is not shy to say, on the world stage. Not only that, pricing is utterly reasonable: Jancis Robinson praises "the value offered by these pristine Chardonnays that have withstood blind comparisons with some of the best white burgundies", referencing a famous blind tasting that saw the top-flight Meursaults, Chassagnes, and Pulignys, confused with the Kumeu wines (which remain a fraction of the price).