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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