Kumeu River
Astonishingly good Chardonnay from this West
Auckland family-owned winery
Website:
www.kumeuriver.co.nz

Milan and
Michael Brajkovich, Kumeu River
We are
in West Auckland, in Kumeu. This is the historical heartland of the
New Zealand wine industry. Here, Croatian/Dalmatian immigrants to
New Zealand decided to make wines like those they were used to at
home. Many of the famous names of the New Zealand wine industry have
their roots in West Auckland, even though it is no longer such a
significant wine producing region— the climate here is quite humid
in the summer, which makes viticulture a challenge.
But
there's one shining star: Kumeu River, famous as one of New
Zealand's top Chardonnay producers, and considered by many to be the
best. Chardonnay accounts for 70% of their production, with the
balance accounted for by Pinot Gris (20%), Pinot Noir (5%), Merlot
(5%) and a little bit of Gewürztraminer. A new addition is an as yet
unreleased sparkling wine.

The lyre-trellised vines seen
through bird netting
This
is a family operation, headed up by Melba Brajkovich and her
children Michael, Milan, Paul and Marijana. The Brajkovich family
first arrived in New Zealand in 1937, when Mick and Katé came here
and began a new life in Henderson, West Auckland. In their home
village of Živogošće in Croatia they had experience of winegrowing.
Soon they were working in orchards and vineyards, saving up enough
to buy a small property with a vineyard in Kumeu.

Mick
died in 1949 but Katé and her son Maté carried on running the
property, and Maté married Melba in 1957. The modern day Kumeu River
began to take shape in the late 1970s when hybdrid vines used for
fortified wine production were replanted with vinifera varieties
more suited to table wines. Michael, Milan and Paul came on board in
the 1980s, and the name Kumeu River was first used in 1986. They
began making their Burgundian-inspired Chardonnays for which they
are now so famous.

Paul Brajkovich
The
property is 30 hectares, and a further 10 hectares are rented from
growers. Soils are clay/sandstone, and are good at retaining water
at depth, so no irrigation is needed. They are planted with the lyre
trellising system, which is complicated but which helps intercept
maxiumum light. All the grapes are hand picked.
Kumeu
River are famous for their advocacy of screwcaps. ‘We had to throw
away a third of the 1998 through cork taint,’ recalls Paul. 2000
was the last vintage they used cork: from 2001 this has been a 100%
screwcap winery.
The
notes below are from a few tasting experiences, including a visit to
the estate, and also a remarkable vertical tasting at Farr Vintners
in London.



THE WINES
(date
of tasting in brackets after each note,
month/year format).
Kumeu River Pinot Gris 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
Lovely apple and pear fruit, with good acidity and nice
spiciness. Good texture here: it's a dry style with a hint of fruit
sweetness and a long spicy finish. 91/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Gewürztraminer 2012 Kumeu, New Zealand
Aromatic but not showy. Lovely focused, fresh, quite mineral
palate with some lychee and rose petal characters. A distinctive,
savoury interpretation of this variety. 92/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2013 Kumeu, New Zealand
Linear, pure, lemony and bright with lovely acidity. Very tight,
this finishes brightly. 91/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
Taut, mineral, slightly flinty, reductive nose. The palate is
fruity with pear and peach, and also some buttery notes in the
background. Very attractive. 90/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Pinot Noir 2013 Kumeu, New Zealand
Debut vintage for this new wine. Sweet, supple, open nose of
fine red cherru with a subtle sappiness. Supple, fresh palate with a
fine, silky structure and a little greenness, alongside sweet red
fruits. 92/100 (05/15)
ESTATE
CHARDONNAY
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2013 Kumeu, New Zealand
Bright, pure and lemony with good focus to the pear and
pineapple fruit. Lovely lemony finish with some mineral character.
93/100 (05/15)
Kumeu
River Estate Chardonnay 2012 Kumeu, New Zealand
Fine and fresh with
a pure, mineral core and lovely precision. Gentle but bright with
midweight citrus and pear as well as subtle hazelnut and toast.
93/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
This is a blend of 6 vineyards. There are usually about 5000
cases, but in 2010 just 1600 were made. Taut but generous with pear,
spice and toast notes. Lovey fruit. Notes of grapefruit, spice,
white peach and toast. It's rich and full, yet taut at the same
time. 93/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
Lively, bright, very fresh with focused lemony fruit and fine
spicy notes. Lovely precision and focus. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
20% new oak. Fine and taut with pear and ripe apple, spice and
subtle toast. Fine with nice acidity. Focused and elegant, showing
good acidity and some restraint. 93/100 (02/13)
Kumeu
River Estate Chardonnay 2006 Kumeu, New Zealand
Fine, fresh and
expressive with lively pear and white peach fruit, as well as a bit
of spiciness. There’s richness allied with precision. Very fine.
94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 1998 Kumeu, New Zealand
Rich gold colour (cork sealed). Sweet and honeyed with melon and
butterscotch on the nose. There’s still freshness on the palate with
some nuttiness and hints of honey. Nice texture and complexity.
92/100 (05/15)
Kumeu
River Estate Chardonnay 1989 Kumeu, New Zealand
Rich gold in colour.
Very lively and spicy on the nose with some marmalade, fine
toastiness and apricots. The palate has a slight cabbage edge and
also fresh, toasty, spicy characters. There’s a touch of mushroom,
too. Lovely complexity. 94/100 (05/15)
CODDINGTON CHARDONNAY
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2013 Kumeu, New Zealand
This single-vineyard wine was first produced in 2006, and it
always gives the richest, ripest
Chardonnays with the most stonefruit character. Clone UCD15.
Delicate, fine, spicy and mineral with some peachy depth as well as
pear and citrus fruit. Textural and fine. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2012 Kumeu, New Zealand
Nice taut, reductive mineral edge to the nose. Lively, spicy and
focused with lovely mineral notes on the pure palate which shows
great intensity and purity. So nicely defined with a taut, lemony
edge. Thrilling. 95/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2011 Kumeu, New Zealand
Lively, mineral edge to the nose with some rich white peach and
citrus fruit. Focused, fresh palate with some generosity, and also a
keen, pure, linear personality. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2010
Kumeu, New Zealand
Fresh citrus, pear and peach fruit. Fine with lovely rich
flavours: toast, almonds, also some lively citrus notes. 94/100
(02/13)
Kumeu
River Coddington Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
Fine mineral, toasty
nose. Lively citrus and pear fruit with a stylish breadth and lovely
focus, showing notes of white peach and subtle toast. Youthful and
lovely. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Coddington Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
Rich, focused and fresh with pear and peach, toast and citrus
flavours. Great acidity here, as well as some nuttiness, and a hint
of butter in the background. Lovely focused wine. 93/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
Very fine and expressive crystalline fruits nose, showing some
honeysuckle but also pear, spice and minerals. The palate has nice
pear and spice with a mineral core. Very stylish and focused. 94/100
(05/15)
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2006
Kumeu, New Zealand
Debut vintage. Fine, focused white peach and pear with a hint of
melon richness. Lovely texture and nice depth of fruit. Generous but
still fresh. 94/100

HUNTING
HILL CHARDONNAY
Kumeu
River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2013 Kumeu, New Zealand
Wonderfully tight
but expressive with spicy, mineral nose. The palate has lime and
white peach with nice spicy detail. Fine and taut. 95/100 (05/15)
Kumeu
River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2012 Kumeu, New Zealand
Very fine and
expressive with a lime-tinged nose and amazing finesse on the
palate. Linear and direct with some smoky minerality under the
lemony fruit and hints of white peach. Thrilling and nervous. 95/100
(05/15)
Kumeu
River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
A hint of reduction
on the nose adds flinty complexity. Toast, bread and spice on the
palate, which is almost structured but with fine acidity and lovely
depth. Stylish with some citrus and floral notes. 95/100 (02/13)
Kumeu
River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
Direct and focused
with powerful spicy, lemony fruit and some white peach richness.
Great acidity. An intense, direct, powerful wine. 95/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
Fine, flinty reductive nose with some spice, some minerals and
real finesse. Tight, expressive, citrussy palate showing nice
intensity. Mineral and fine with lovely precision, and notes of
grapefruit and spice. 95/100 (02/13)
Kumeu
River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
Hint of marzipan to
the rich toasty nose. Lively, spicy palate with delicious toastiness.
Complex, refined and very detailed. Profound. 96/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2008 Kumeu, New Zealand
This was a warmer year. Fine citrus and toast nose. The palate
is so taut and mineral with real finesse, and notes of spice,
mineral as citrus. 94/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2007 Kumeu, New Zealand
Fine, precise and lemony with some melon notes and ripe stone
fruits. Lively and spicy with subtle toast. Fine, expressive and
mineral. 94/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2007 Kumeu, New Zealand
Fine and sweetly fruited with some spicy, nutty notes on the
nose. Lively, fresh, lemony palate with keen acidity. Very linear
and pure with a bright lemony finish. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2006 Kumeu, New Zealand
This was the first release. Spicy and mineral with notes of
peach, pear and pineapple. Precise and mineral with lovely intensity
and notes of grapefruit and white peach. Long and fine. 96/100
(02/13)
Kumeu
River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2006 Kumeu, New Zealand
Creamy and slightly
toasty pear and fennel nose. The palate has nice density. It’s
creamy and focused with some richness to the pear and white peach
notes. 94/100 (05/15)
MATE’S
VINEYARD CHARDONNAY
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2013 Kumeu, New Zealand
White peach and pear fruit with a bit of spice and some smoky,
mineral notes. Lovely textured palate has some white peach but also
some subtle toastiness and some lemony freshness. Very pure and
detailed with real finesse. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2012 Kumeu, New Zealand
Very fresh and fine and detailed. Bright lemon, crisp apple with
great acidity. Very linear and refined. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
Taut and mineral. Very precise with great concentration. Real
depth of flavour here and lovely focus, with intense fruit. Notes of
white peach and pear with precision and focus. 95/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 Kumeu, New Zealand
Lovely pear and white peach and citrus. Bright and lemony with
keen acidity. Taut and mineral, showing fine spiciness. Pure. 95/100
(05/15)
Kumeu
River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 Kumeu, New Zealand
Sweet spun sugar
edge to the nose: fine, sweet, pure and linear with generous pear
and white peach fruit. Ripe, expressive style, generous and fruity.
93/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 Kumeu, New Zealand
Complex and fine with grapefruit, peach, subtle toast. Nice
concentration, some minerality and focused fruit. 94/100 (02/13)
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 1996 Kumeu, New Zealand
Yellow/gold colour. Toast, pear, spice and peach with ripe
apple, too. Has a lovely fresh mineral core with nice spice and
toast. Mature but with lovely refinement. 94/100 (05/15)
Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay 1994 Kumeu, New Zealand
Old but still lovely. A yellow/gold in colour and a bit nutty
with spice, honey and even some smokiness. Richly flavoured with an
apricot edge. 93/100 (05/15)
OLDER NOTES:
Kumeu River Maté’s Vineyard
Chardonnay 2008 West Auckland,
New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. Taut, intense, citrussy nose with toast and herb
notes. Very tight-wound with real focus. The palate shows some sweet
peachy characters plus intensely savoury citrus, toast and fig
notes. Very crisp with high acidity and structured, pithy notes.
Real potential for development. 94/100 (£20 The Wine Society, Berry
Bros & Rudd) 01/11
Kumeu River Village Chardonnay
2008West Auckland, New Zealand
Fresh, fruity and a bit toasty with nice citrus fruit and some
appley notes. Nice fruit with some minerality. A bit Chablis-like,
but richer. 91/100 09/10
Kumeu River Chardonnay 2006 West
Auckland, New Zealand
Intense, spicy, figgy nose is boldly flavoured and dense with
some nutty, toasty richness and real depth. Lovely rich style.
93/100 09/10
Kumeu River Chardonnay 2006 West
Auckland, New Zealand
Very fine, toasty refined nose with real intensity. The palate
is complex and taut with nice toastiness and lovely herby, figgy
fruit. Rich but balanced, this is just lovely. 92/100 (£15.50 The
Wine Society) 09/10
Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay 2007
West Auckland, New Zealand
Expressive and quite fine with complex toasty notes and some
fresh citrus character, as well as some spiciness. Dense,
concentrated and full with real depth. 94/100 09/10
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay
2007 West Auckland, New Zealand
Bold and rich yet focused and fresh with nice citrus notes.
Lemony freshness supports subtle toastiness. Expressive and fine.
94/100 09/10
Kumeu Rover Maté’s
Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 West Auckland, New Zealand
Lively and fine with lovely dense peach, fig and pear notes.
Dense and concentrated, yet fresh and bright with lovely lemony
notes and nice toastiness. 95/100 09/10
Kumeu River Pinot Noir 2007 West
Auckland, New Zealand
Warm, spicy and cherryish with bright fruit. The palate is herby
with a slightly sour plum character to the herby cherry fruit.
Earthy finish. 86/100 02/10
Kumeu River Pinot Noir 2008 West
Auckland, New Zealand
Fresh herby cherry fruit nose. Bright, juicy and supple with a
strong savoury, herby character. Very herbal in style. 88/100 02/10
See also:
Visiting
Central Otago (series)
A
blind tasting of Kumeu River wines with fine Burgundies
Visiting
Martinborough, New Zealand (series)
Wines
tasted as indicated month/year
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