Village Chardonnay 2022 (Kumeu River)

Cellar for up to 5 years. Serve well chilled. The story of Kumeu River is also the story of an adventurous family who left their small Croatian village in 1937 to create a new life on the other side of the world. At first life wasn’t easy, and Mick and Katé Brajkovich spent years doing backbreaking work for other farmers before they could afford to buy their own winery in Kumeu in 1944. Today the family winery is looked after żeby the third generation of Brajkovichs and has gained international recognition for its refined Burgundy-style Chardonnays. Although Kumeu River is one of New Zealand’s most northerly wine regions, thanks to the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea conditions are perfect for producing vibrant, aromatic wines from early-ripening varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. For their Kumeu River Village Chardonnay the family ferments just 25% of the wine in used French oak barrels with the remainder going into stainless steel tanks. The result is a fruit-forward, aromatic wine with ripe peach, lime and Sicilian lemon aromas and a crisp, cleansing freshness on the palate. There are also hints of a flinty minerality and a smooth, rounded mouthfeel, making this an excellent partner to creamy cheeses or a generous platter of fruits de mer.