2023 KUMEU RIVER Chardonnay Hunting Hill, Lea & Sandeman

KUMEU RIVER

2023 Chardonnay Hunting Hill

IN STOCK
Grapes Chardonnay
Colour White
Origin New Zealand, North Island
ABV 13%
Vineyard Hunting Hill

Aromas of apples, white peaches and steel with hints of lemongrass, fresh basil, flint and white flowers. Medium- to full-bodied with a tight and dense center palate and a crunchy and flavorful finish. Energetic acidity. So fresh yet dense at the same time. Rating: 96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Jan 2025)

*Case price discount: Mix any 12 bottles of wine (or 9 litre equivalent) or 6 bottles of Champagne, Spirits, Sweet Wine or Fortified (4.5 litres) to get the discounted 'case price' for each bottle.

There's some really punchy acidity in the 2023 Chardonnay Hunting Hill. It's the coolest, breeziest of the three single vineyards at Kumeu, which is highlighted by the vintage, creating an athletic character. It displays its characteristic lemon/lime while its tight, forceful texture grips the roof of your mouth. It is not the most concentrated of Hunting Hills, but it still attains balance and restraint. No new oak was used in 2023, usually around 25%. One for the cellar, but if you must open in the coming 2-5 years, decant this wine. Drinking range: 2025 - 2035 Rating: 91 Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous.com (Sep 2024)

100% barrel fermentation (5+ year old+ French oak Barriques), 16% tank fermentation First planted in 1982 (and replanted in 2021), this is a super-important wine in the portfolio and is always one of my preferred wines. In 2023, the fruit seems terrifically controlled and ordered, and this formality adds a degree of flair and knowing to the experience. This is one of the wines that regularly sits in a genuine world-class flight of Chardonnays, and the finish is largely responsible for this. The drama, built from the acidity, which is a factor in its situation, means that this is a classically shaped and deliciously raspy wine. Drink from 2028. Rating: 18.5+/20 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Sep 2024)

Aromas of apples, white peaches and steel with hints of lemongrass, fresh basil, flint and white flowers. Medium- to full-bodied with a tight and dense center palate and a crunchy and flavorful finish. Energetic acidity. So fresh yet dense at the same time. Rating: 96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Aug 2024)

Kumeu River

From the pioneering days to the establishment of the New Zealand wine industry to today, the Brajkovich family have been internationally recognised as producing world class wine. The Brajkovich family continue to harvest their grapes at Kumeu and refine their wine making skills.

The Brajkovichs are nationally recognised as a founding family of the New Zealand wine industry, and the current generation are internationally recognised as producing world class Chardonnay.

Just as the Brajkovich family has grown, so too has the winery itself. Extensions and additions mark the milestones that have seen business adapt and expand over the years. Today, the winery produces around 250,000 bottles annually from 30 hectares of its own vineyards in Kumeu, and another 10 hectares from local growers.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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