2021 | Kumeu River | Estate Chardonnay

Powerful yet fine in 2021, with citrus, flint and savoury oatmeal notes on the nose and a palate deftly layered with Braeburn apple, cinnamon and stone fruit.

Reviews:

• Gary Walsh: So graceful and composed, and lovely to drink. White peach, pink grapefruit, almond and spiced biscuit, subtle mint/cucumber and floral perfume. It’s glossy and silky in texture, but bright and fresh, with a twist of lemon zest and green olive, a subtle flinty texture, and a long cool finish. Light and breezy too, delicate even, though not without flavour and intensity.

• James Suckling: Lemons, white apricots, white grapefruit, slate and sea shells. Elegant and mineral, with a medium body and creamy, textured and layered palate. Classy and fresh.

Producer Information

Kumeu River is a New Zealand wine estate located just outside the town of Kumeu, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) northwest of central Auckland. It is particularly known for its Burgundian-style Chardonnay, of which it produces several expressions. The wines are critical favorites having received various international awards and accolades. In 2014, a landmark blind tasting in London resulted in four of Kumeu's Chardonnay wines triumphing over various top white Burgundy producers. Despite being well north of New Zealand's other viticultural regions, Kumeu is kept cool by its proximity to the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. This helps the estate develop aromatics in the early-ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grape varieties. In addition to the estate in the Kumeu region, the Rays Road vineyard of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay was acquired in 2017, located in the Hawkes Bay region. The estate was founded by the Brajkovich family in 1944, seven years after they had emigrated from Croatia. In the 1980s that the company transitioned focus to high-quality production of Chardonnay.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.