Kumeu River 2025 Chardonnay Case

If Hunting Hill is the most structured of Kumeu River's single-vineyard chardonnays, then Coddington is perhaps the most opulent. The warm, dry conditions of 2025 have played nicely into the strengths of the vineyard site, producing a wine with impressive depth and texture. Aromas of ripe stone fruit, citrus curd and subtle oak spice lead into a broad, seamless palate, where richness is balanced by freshness and poise. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months in French oak, it combines an upfront charm with plenty of underlying substance. Already expressive in its youth, this should provide enormous pleasure from release while continuing to develop additional complexity for many more years to come.

One of New Zealand's great chardonnay benchmarks, this is produced from six vineyards around Kumeu and showcases just how successful the 2025 vintage was for the region. The warm, settled growing season has brought an extra layer of generosity to the wine, with ripe citrus and stone-fruit flavours framed by subtle oak spice and a creamy, rounded texture. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak, it is unmistakably Kumeu in style, balancing richness with freshness and precision. There is plenty of immediate appeal, but the concentration and structure suggest this will continue to evolve beautifully over the coming years. A particularly complete and satisfying release.

One of the most distinctive wines in the Kumeu River range, Hunting Hill combines power and elegance. Sitting on the elevated slopes above Maté's Vineyard, this site consistently produces chardonnay with amazing intensity and longevity. The dry, even conditions of 2025 have given the wine impressive concentration, with layers of citrus fruit, white peach and subtle struck-flint character wrapped around a firm core of acidity. Wild-yeast fermentation and maturation in French oak have added further complexity, while the palate retains the tension and mineral precision that define this vineyard. Still youthful and tightly focused, this is a wine built for the long haul and one that should reward extended cellaring.

Widely regarded as one of New Zealand's greatest chardonnays, this comes from the Brajkovich family's finest vineyard, planted in 1990 and named after their father, Maté. The dry, remarkably even conditions of 2025 have produced a wine of exceptional harmony, combining the concentration expected from this site with an extra degree of aromatic detail and refinement. Citrus, stone fruit and subtle savoury oak notes unfold gradually in the glass, while the palate is powerful without ever feeling heavy. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months in French oak, it has the depth, balance and authoritative feeling that has made this vineyard so revered. A superb release that should evolve effortlessly for many years to come.

This Hawkes Bay site continues to go from strength to strength and the 2025 is a particularly complete feeling wine. The exceptionally dry growing season has resulted in plenty of flavour concentration but what impresses most is the balance. There is lovely generosity here, with ripe peach and citrus fruit at the core, yet the site's distinctive minerality remains front and centre. Wild-yeast fermentation and maturation in older French oak add texture and complexity without distracting from the vineyard character. The finish is long, saline and persistent. Kumeu River have become increasingly excited by the potential of Rays Road in recent years and tasting this latest release, it's easy to see why.