Latest Release: 2018 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnays

Paul Brajkovich of Kumeu River Wines in New Zealand visited us last week, with samples of their new 2018 vintage.  Due to land early in 2020, the single vineyard wines from this one-of-a-kind estate are in very short supply.   After severe frosts, the 2018 harvest was 30% down in terms of quantity.  Happily though it was of excellent quality and the wines have a wonderful supple texture.  Vintage character can be as important here as in a classic European vineyard region, something we do not always associate with 'New World' wines. 

Re-tasting the range today we found the same extraordinary delineation of terroir we observed in the 2017s.  Once again the Coddington was a favourite, with a broad structure and great depth from the rich clay soils of the Coddington vineyard.  The Hunting Hill was as seductive as before, with its uncanny resemblance to premier cru Puligny, but the Maté's Vineyard stood out even more this year as equal in quality to Côte d'Or Grand Cru wines like Corton Charlemagne, for little more than the price of the Hunting Hill.

New this year are the wines from the Ray's Road vineyard in Hawke's Bay. With land prices soaring in Kumeu (a desirable rural suburb of Auckland) the Brajkovichs have been searching for new vineyard land with sufficient promise.  Purchased in 2017, this hillside vineyard (pictured below) is set on limestone rock and was originally planted as a joint venture between Trinity Hill and one of Pouilly-Fumé's most well-known growers, Pascal Jolivet.  The Ray's Road Chardonnay joins the other single vineyard wines and has a piercing mineral character. 

Completing the line-up, the Sauvignon Blanc is from the same site and has a distinctly Loire-ish feel, with a pronounced flinty, smoky nose and an elegant floral character, in part due to careful hand-harvesting.  At just £12.18 including VAT this is an excellent alternative to Pouilly-Fumé.

Whilst approachable young, over time Kumeu's Chardonnays develop brilliant depth and complexity while retaining freshness in exactly the way some top white burgundies didn't a few years back (an issue happily now behind them).  We recommend laying these down for that distinct pleasure of opening a white wine in five or seven years (or more) and finding it as fresh and exciting as when first bottled.

Our offer of the 2017 vintage earlier this year was very popular.  Rarely have we had so many spontaneous emails from customers having tried the wine ('sensational!').  For the single vineyard wines, the quantities below may well be all we have to offer until the 2019 vintage arrives, so if you are interested (and you probably should be!) we recommend ordering straight away.  

2018 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay

Fresh lime fruits and steely minerality on the nose, leading to a richer than expected texture on the palate, with a supple, creamy (lees?) texture balanced by clean acidity.  At 13% abv the weight is all coming from fruit concentration rather than alcohol, very impressive. Will be drinking soon after landing in early 2020 and will develop for another 5 years in bottle. RKL 

25 cases available at £155 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay

Our 'dark horse' favourite last year, but it did not catch customers' attention as much as did the Hunting Hill.  Chardonnay wines on clay soils sound so much less exciting than the mineral fireworks of stonier ground.  A shame, as this has tremendously satisfying breadth and concentration, but still manages to be focused.  Don't miss it!  RKL 

5 cases of 6 bottles available at £125 per case in bond

2018 Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay

Immediate and intense flint / matchstick aromas on the nose, beautifully integrated suggesting this is about terroir rather than reductive wine making.  Apple, pear and citus fruits encompassed by subtle use of oak.   The Brajkovichs use extended lees ageing to reduce the buttery flavours from the diacetyl compound created during malolactic fermentation and this seems key to the style of Hunting Hill...a structured, mineral, mealy character with no hint of blowsiness. Excellent.  RKL

8 cases of 6 bottles available at £160 per case in bond

2018 Kumeu River Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay

Hand harvested, whole-bunch pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation. 100% barrel fermented and 100% malo-lactic followed by 11 months maturation in barrel.  Raw power and intensity at present (only just bottled) but the mineral and saline complexity is already apparent and there is no mistaking the length on the palate.   Drinking in 1-2 years but would be wonderful to see how this has developed ten or more years from now.

5 cases of 6 bottles available at £180 per case in bond

2018 Kumeu River Ray's Road Chardonnay, Hawke's Bay

Less flinty in character on the nose than the Estate Chardonnay, but a marked step up in the intensity of fruit, with stone fruits and citrus (lime).  Lots of structure and weight, but the chiselled, limestone character of the Ray's Road vineyard comes through in a restrained, linear character reminiscent of one of the more intense Chablis 1er Cru sites like Fourchaume. This will also flesh out further with another year or two in bottle.  RKL

10 cases of 12 bottles available at £180 per case in bond

2018 Kumeu River Sauvignon Blanc, Hawkes Bay

Delicate and floral on the nose with a notable absence of harsh vegetal aromas or clumsy thiol-derived tropical fruit.  Instead, there's an exciting waft of flinty, smoky minerality, hinting at the Loire-influences and limestone soils in the Ray's Road vineyard.  The fruit character mixes gooseberry and other green fruits with a racy citrus-lime character. Beautifully balanced. 12% abv.  RKL

25 cases of 12 bottles available at £95 per case in bond