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Product Details :
More Information - Country : New Zealand
- Region : Auckland
- Sub Region : NA
- Type : Still
- Year : 2021
- Number of bottles in pack : 6
- Bottle Size : 75cl
- Pack Size : 6x75cl
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Delivery :
We offer delivery in the Netherlands at a standard fee of €6.95 per order. Delivery is signed for and takes up to 5 working days. We also delivery in Belgium, Germany, Austria and France. Please enquire to wine@finewinelibrary.nl for a quote. Due to geographical restrictions, some wines may not be available for your market.
All orders are packed safely for transit meaning that the original carton/wooden box will not be supplied.
What the critics say:
99 Points | James Suckling
Lots of minerality with crushed stone, chalk, white grapefruit, peach stones, white apricots, wild herbs and lavender. Touch of cedar. Evolves to nutmeg and crushed almonds. Wow. It really builds on the palate, leading to a crescendo and intensity that blows your mind. Compact and phenolic, yet so agile and refined. Goes on for minutes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
18.5+ / 20 points | Matthew Jukes MW
Again, hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed, wild yeast fermented in 100% oak, and it spends 11 months in barrel (this time, 30% new) after malo. The persistence, energy and purity of flavour are staggering, yet this is a refreshing, uplifting wine. The power-to-weight ratio is staggering. It is like ripping out the seats, the instrument panel, the entire interior, the wheel trims, the wing mirrors and all other irrelevant items from your favourite sports car and understanding that this will only improve performance! And it does. This mightily impressive wine is a baby, but there is no pressure here to crack on and open this wine. Take your time. The moment will come, and it will race away across your palate to cheers and whoops of joy.
95 points | Real Review, Bob Campbell MW
Flagship chardonnay from a leading producer of the variety. Lush, concentrated wine with peach, nectarine, sizzled butter, hazelnut and spicy oak flavours. Distinctive and impressive wine with ageing potential.
Kumeu River
“now producing some of New Zealand’s greatest Chardonnays, not to mention the world’s.”
- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate
Kumeu River has long been the spearhead for New Zealand Chardonnay. Back in 1937, The Brajkovich family emigrated to New Zealand from their home country of Croatia. Back at home, they would both grow and produce wine for personal consumption. In 1944 the family purchased a small property with vineyards and started making wine. They started producing single-variety wines of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, their reputation started to take off in the 80’s for their quality.
Michael Brajkovich then had the vision to produce a Burgundy-influenced style of Chardonnay that featured indigenous yeasts, extended lees ageing, and malo-lactic fermentation. Fast forward to today and Kumeu River has won every accolade under the sun with the critics going crazy for the wines. “Amongst the very best Chardonnay producers in the world” standing “shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the grandest labels from Burgundy” are words uttered by Neal Martin (Vinous).
Kumeu Rivers prices are and have always been incredibly fair. You can essentially drink what is equivalent to Burgundy 1er or Grand Cru quality for around €30 per bottle. Their entry-level Village Chardonnay is one of our favourites for the value picks and we're known to drink it by the buckets upon release. The single-vineyard expressions of Mate's, Hunting Hill, Coddington and Rays Vineyards are all fantastic and we can't recommend them enough.