Kumeu River Rays Road Chardonnay 2022

This Chardonnay was hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels to give a wine that is zesty and fragrant, with mineral complexity that is very true to its site.With the 2022 vintage Rays Road produced very clean and ripe fruit from this unique site. We are now receiving significant quantities of Chardonnay from the new plantings, based on Clones 15 and 548. These allow for a much deeper and more nuanced expression of the Chardonnay variety than the existing Clone 95 plantings, but still with the zesty minerality on the palate. The result is an exciting Rays Road Chardonnay showing white flowers and lemon on the nose, with rich texture and vibrant acidity on the palate.

Hand harvested Whole-bunch pressed 
Country: New Zealand
Region: Kumeu
Vintage: 2022
Barrel Fermentation: French Oak 100%
Maturation in Barrel: 11 months
Alcohol: 12.5%
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Founded in 1944 by Mick Brajkovich, their wife Katé, and their son Maté, Kumeu River was one of the early pioneers in Auckland, New Zealand, that helped to establish its reputation as a world-class wine region. Before that, they lived In their small Croatian village of Živogošće, Mick and Katé Brajkovich had also farmed small plots of land, and had experience tending vines and making their own wine. After a few years of working in the gum fields, the family moved to Henderson in West Auckland. Still family-owned and run, Kumeu River continues to pioneer new frontiers: winemaker Michael Brajkovich became New Zealand’s first member of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine, London, and has been testing and championing screw cap closures for nearly 20 years. In 2017 Ray's Road Vineyard acquisition. The Brajkovich acquire their first primary vineyard site outside of Kumeu in Hawke's Bay.