2021 Kumeu River, Rays Road Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

2021 Kumeu River, Rays Road Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Product: 20218042031
 
2021 Kumeu River, Rays Road Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

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Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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Description

Now in its fourth vintage, this might be the coming of age of Ray’s Road. The limestone subsoils give this a Chablisien nerve – this is very taught but has a lovely stone fruit, peachiness. A nice difference to the Estate. Getting better and better every year.

Drink 2022 - 2032

Fergus Stewart, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2022)

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Critics reviews

Jancis Robinson MW16.5/20

This is served after the Village because Village includes some fruit from Rays Road. Clone 95 was planted there in 2010. They ripped out some of the Sauvignon Blanc to plant clones 548 and 15 and will plant Mendoza. Whole-bunch pressed, all spontaneously fermented in old oak. Malo in barrel, 11 months on yeast lees and then fine lees in tank and bottled in May. 2,000 cases.

Quite rich and broad on the nose. The crisp acidity comes in on the finish, but it seems less sleek than the Kumeu wines.

Drink 2022 - 2030

Jancis Robinson MW, jancisrobinson.com (September 2022)

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About this WINE

Kumeu River

Kumeu River

Maté Brajkovich, a Dalmation by birth, arrived in New Zealand in 1938. In 1944 he and his parents purchased a property with a small vineyard and Kumeu River wines was born. However it was not until Michael, Mate's son, took over in 1982 that the true potential of the vineyards began to be fully realised.

Michael, the first New Zealander to become a Master of Wine, vastly improved the quality of the fruit though improved drainage systems, the growing of grass between the vine rows and by the introduction of the Lyre trellis system. Its two Chardonnays, the Kumeu River Chardonnay and the Matés Vineyard Chardonnay, are arguably the best in New Zealand and have been consecutively named in the Top one hundred Wines of the world by the Wine Spectator.

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Auckland

Auckland

At the head of North Island, the Auckland region brims with a disproportionate amount of wineries (17 percent of New Zealand's total), even though it is planted with just two percent of the country's vines.

Despite being on the doorstep of an affluent Auckland, the fairly humid, near-tropical climate and fertile soils makes fine wine little more than a pipe dream – the notable exception being Kumeu River Wines, where the tireless work of the Brajkovich family in taming the vines while honing their winemaking has resulted in the country's finest Chardonnays.

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Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.

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