"This is an excellent value for money Chardonnay - Fresh, lovely flavour and length- I always have a bottle in the fridge as my “go to” white wine "

I would recommend this wine

"A little more acidic than I'd like, light touch of oak, clean tasting, a little floral. Not the best fruits coming through but it's OK. I like that it's hand picked. Decent but not an impresser. "

"This is my 'go to' everyday white wine. Consistently appealing and great as an aperitif as I prepare dinner. "

I would recommend this wine

"Well balanced minerally,tropical fruits ,good value for money ."

"I am beginning to find that a very dry white disturbs my tummy (78 yrs) but I found I enjoyed this wine very much. Other review suggest that this might not always be the case, but I am going to reorder the 2019 Chardonnay to keep me happy until I get my Covid Vaccination. David. Member since I can't remember when."

I would recommend this wine

"A little struck match on the nose, well balanced roundness and acidity, reminiscent of a high end Macon. And for a tenner! Good juice this."

"Very interesting comparing my experience with other reviews. I found it very disappointing, relative to what I was expecting from such a celebrated Chardonnay maker. My bottles were thin, dull and overly acidic. I'm sorry to day none of the WS tasting notes appeared in any of the bottles I bought. Bottle variation under screwcap? Unlikely. Travel fatigue, opened too quickly after ordering? Really shouldn't be. I've read before that this wine inspires very different feelings, but I expected a lot and it just didn't deliver."

"The richness of an oaked Chardonnay comes through in this wine, and a beautiful buttery feel fills your mouth. A refreshing citrus finish makes this a very moreish wine!"

I would recommend this wine

"Better than the 2018 - extremely moreish. Good with food or on its own. WS comments spot on."

Sunday Telegraph 28th Mar 2021

"The Kumeu River Estate is renowned for its brilliant, Burgundy-meets-New World chardonnays; this young example is exuberantly fresh, pure and fruit-forward, with crunchy apples and an apricot hint. Chill it for lemon/herby grilled chicken. - Susy Atkins"

matthewjukes.com 20th Jan 2021

" This wine is made by a legendary estate – Kumeu River, based in Kumeu, north of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand.  While the Kumeu Village label is featured on their entry-level, crowd-pleasing suite of wines, this chardonnay bears all of the hallmarks of the more famous Kumeu River chardonnays from this illustrious winery, albeit with a lighter frame and a more immediate air.  With a little more persistence than a typical village Chablis and a slightly slimmer midriff than a lusty white Mâconnais wine, this unoaked beauty treads a careful path through the bull’s eye of chardonnay enjoyment.  Fruit ripeness balanced with superb acidity is the key and this bargain-priced wine ticks these boxes perfectly! - Matthew Jukes"

2018 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS

"Excellent value, for a well balanced wine with good fruit and acidity goes well with food but also chilled on its own."

Mr John Haverty (12-Aug-2020)

"I find some of the negative comments about this wine bizarre, it is a cracking £11 bottle, barely perceptible oak, full and well rounded. I love it. Ignore the negativity below!"

Mr Stephen Wilkinson (24-Jul-2020)

"Apple, citrus (lime more than lemon) to start. Nice minerality on the finish. Not the most sophisticated but a nice refreshing NZ Chardonnay.Pretty good value for the price. "

Mr Tom Rodger (12-Jun-2020)

"This is great value new world chardonnay. Not terribly concentrated or long but well balanced and moreish, with all the flavours you would expect of a clean and professionally made wine. Served at a wedding and many guests asked where they could buy it. "

Dr Ian Craigie (02-Jun-2020)

"I am astonished that The Society suggested this wine as a replacement for the Wither Hills. While not as bad as the dreadful Kumeu Pinot Noir, this is not a good wine. I detected no 'peach and apple aromas', nor was it fresh and bright. Rather it was bitter and obvious, like the £5 nasties from [a supermarket] my neighbour brings round. It's not entirely undrinkable, so I've given it a second star, but I didn't finish my glass. A waste of money. There are many better chardonnays for the rather unrealistic price. Need I state the obvious that I won't be buying any Kumeu Village wines in the future."

Mr Peter Nelson (10-May-2020)

"I would definitely recommend you give this a try"

Mr John D Brookes (21-Mar-2020)

"We found this very drinkable as an every day wine and excellent value for money"

Mr David Kidd (27-Feb-2020)

"Our favourite house wine and the 2018 is the best yet. Crisp. but mouthfilling with a touch of cream and oak, Like a burgundy, best served not too cold. A steal at the discounted price. "

Mr Russell Seekins (19-Feb-2020)

"Nice enough, by virtue of being bland and characterless. I suppose one cannot expect more from an NZ wine at this price point."

Mr Vernon Stradling (28-Dec-2019)

2018 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS

Wine-pages.com (27th Jul 2020)

" From one of New Zealand's Chardonnay maestros, this entry level wine for Kumeu River is still hand-harvested and fermented with wild yeasts. Around 25% of fruit comes from Hawke's Bay the rest from the home vineyards north of Auckland. Made in a combination of stainless steel and older oak barrels, and whole-bunch pressed, it is creamy with a touch of oatmeal and spice, creamy apple, but fresh. Crisp on the finish, a touch of exotic fruit comes through on the mid-palate adding some lusciousness. - Tom Cannavan  "

The Daily Telegraph (14th Mar 2020)

"Best 50 wines under £10: Just as we went to press this came off a £2-off deal. It’s still brilliant at full price – just not under £10 ... Effectively the diffusion line from chardonnay star Kumeu River, it has pleasing weight and vibrancy with bright delineation. Superb. - Victoria Moore"

Sunday Express (1st Mar 2020)

"New Zealand makes some fabulous chardonnay, but it lives in the shadow of sauvignon, the grape Kiwis are best known for. This is fresh with plenty of flavour, showing pear, white peach and honey with some mineral hints. It's precise and stony. - Jamie Goode"

Manchester Evening News (20th Feb 2020)

"… peach and apple notes and a touch of complexity from lees stirring. - Jane Clare"

The Daily Telegraph (30th Nov 2019)

"The diffusion line from the revered Kumeu River on New Zealand’s North Island is just as impressive as its more expensive siblings. It has a luminosity that should please Burgundy fans. - Victoria Moore  "

2017 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS

"Like most of the cheaper Kumeu's abit flabby and past it at two years old . Do not buy again ."

Mr Gavin Fulton (18-Oct-2019)

"A crisp and zesty white wine with a somewhat flinty finish . Lacking a bit in depth of flavour. Nevertheless, good value for money. An interesting alternative to the Society's White Burgundy."

Mr Bernard Feeney (18-Sep-2019)

"So I’ve bought every Kiwi Chardonnay the WS have (apart from a couple of cheap ones) and will taste them all in the hunt for a burgundian equivalent under £50 This is very good, 1st tasted from Lea & Sandeman, this later vintage is young, steely, but well balanced. No discernible oak although it is well rounded so imagine some ageing went on. The finish is short, well it is £10. However, I think I would struggle to think of a better way to spend £10. Will report back on Kumeu’s big brother estate wine in a while, in the meantime glug this."

Mr Stephen Wilkinson (30-Aug-2019)

"Decent wine. Very modern with that new world reductive style giving lots of smoky notes. It's not burgundy and not trying to be. I think this is pretty decent value for a wine a bit more serious than its price point implies."

Mr Graeme Broom (21-Aug-2019)

"I've been a great fan of Kumeu River wines for a long time so thought I would try their entry level offering. I was a bit disappointed - it is a perfectly decent wine just not in the rich style that I associate with Kumeu. Perhaps I expected too much but it lacked the depth of flavour and balanced fruit. The top wines of Kumeu are hard to beat, but this Villages offering lacks character in my opinion - okay, but better value elsewhere."

Mr Mark Hewett (26-May-2019)

"Nice bright straw colour Some nice floral notes on the nose and a touch of oak Tastes of oak and not a lot else I’d rather it tasted like wine rather than wood"

Mr Edmond Mandell (23-May-2019)

"Good quality chardonnay. A touch of oak but strong fruit flavours of apricot, peach and apple dominate."

Mr George Fleri (05-May-2019)

"OK but we have better on our list at this price point. Lacking the purity and minerality I look for in good Chardonnay. Perhaps I'm now expecting too much for a tenner."

Mr Johnny Holmes (20-Apr-2019)

"I was very impressed with this wine, which tasted like decent white Burgundy at a very decent price. Rich fruity aromas of peaches and apples; soft and easy-drinking. I thought it was well-balanced and delicious, even if not enormously complex. I really enjoyed it, and will buy again. "

Mr Joshua Crow (03-Apr-2019)

"A rich, quality Chardonnay. Big apple flavours reminiscent of aged cider. Quite rough, in a good way – has something of the farmyard about it, including notes of ripe soft Brie-ish cheese in the aroma. Slight acidic kick. All things considered I really enjoyed this, though I'm not sure it would be popular with all drinkers."

Mr Patrick Vickers (08-Mar-2019)

"Delicious, and tremendous value for money. A wine to order by the case."

Mr Will Smale (11-Feb-2019)

"A lovely wine, substantially creamy and rich on the palate and yet refreshing with wafts of apple and apricots (less so). Very good value, delivered more than what I expected."

Mr Benjamin Liew (21-Dec-2018)

2017 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS

The Observer (22nd Sep 2019)

"… bright and fluent with ripe golden apple.  - David Williams"

The Daily Telegraph (9th Mar 2019)

"50 best wines under £10: The diffusion line from one of New Zealand’s most celebrated chardonnay producers, this offers tons more bang for buck than almost every similarly priced white burgundy, and no less pleasure. - Victoria Moore"

Financial Times (11th Oct 2018)

"I recommend virtually any of [Kumeu River's] wines but probably best value in the UK is the current vintage of the Village bottling, its most basic level, at £9.95 from The Wine Society. - Jancis Robinson"

2016 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS

"Having drunk this I now really understand what is meant by "bright acidity". There's a rare clarity to the fruit flavours. This is partially offset by a richer and more mellow tone towards the finish although the acidity remained dominant. A lot of people will enjoy this enormously, and there's no doubt it's a fine wine and very reasonably priced. Personally I preferred the Society's Exhibition New Zealand Chardonnay which is very similar but is slightly more skewed towards rounded richness and didn't threaten to be over sharp as this one did at times."

Mr Tom Lavercombe (23-Jul-2018)

Mr Oliver A Paul (26-Oct-2017)

"Long,full, rich with loads of flavour. Beats anything from France at twice the price. Buy a case."

Mr Charles Stokes (03-Jul-2017)

Mr Alex Downham (05-May-2017)

2016 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS

The Times (30th Jun 2018)

"If great value for money is what you want, this chardonnay has your name on it. It bursts with mouth-filling bold, creamy, sweet hazelnut oomph. - Jane MacQuitty"

Kent & Sussex Courier (5th Apr 2017)

"Don't miss out on [this]; it's like a first-class Chablis, just a little richer. - James Viner"

JancisRobinson.com (2nd Mar 2017)

"Lively green fruit and easy. What’s not to like?! 16.5/20 - Jancis Robinson"

2014 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS

100 AWEsome Wines (4th May 2017)

"Michael Brajkovich MW and his family are the only serious producers in New Zealand’s West Auckland district and fine chardonnay specialists. This is their excellent-value answer to Mâcon-Villages, light, fresh, appley and eminently drinkable with only a hint of oak.- Wink Lorch"

The Times (30th Mar 2017)

"Top bottle for £10: An outstanding Côte d’Or-esque creamy, yellow apple and hazelnut-spiced Kiwi north island chardonnay, from a tip-top producer who never fails to impress. - Jane MacQuitty"

The Daily Telegraph (25th Feb 2017)

"Kumeu River on New Zealand’s North Island is renowned for the extremely high quality of its chardonnay. This is the version they make for every day: it’s luminous and precise. - Victoria Moore"

Decanter (4th Jan 2017)

"If Kumeu's single vineyards are Côte d'Or, then this is Chablis. Crisp and chalky, with a hint of blanched nuts over its green apple freshness. Great value. - Peter Richards"

JancisRobinson.com (10th Dec 2016)

"Well-priced festive white. - Jancis Robinson"

Vinosaurus (29th Nov 2016)

"I loved [this], with really minimal oak and loads of fresh, citrus and green apple flavour – a serious bargain for a tenner – and a great match for white fish. - David Kermode"

The Wine Gang (1st Nov 2016)

"The Brajkovich family are a class apart in the Kiwi chardonnay-producing fraternity, and their equivalent of a Burgundy village wine has a touch of smoky flintiness and a little savoury oakiness, but is mainly distinguished by the clean-cut aromatic apple blossom and citrus. Great value. 89/100 The Wine Gang"

The Daily Telegraph (22nd Oct 2016)

" Kumeu is the undisputed master of New Zealand chardonnay. This is its 'entry level' wine, but it is still a multi-layered glass.- Hamish Anderson "

JancisRobinson.com (21st Oct 2016)

" This was far from put to shame by the Premier Cru Chablis tasted immediately before it. Such purity! Great crystalline pure Chardonnay flavours. And ready to enjoy. Such a steal!!! Very, very good value 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson "

2012 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS

"Really enjoyed this. Zingy lemon flavour balances the richer textures. Good length."

Mr Colin Mitchell (07-Mar-2016)

"Stands out as a well made wine, single vineyard, hand picked harvest and it shows. Good rounded fruit, low acidity makes it a pleasant, easy to drink wine. Has oak but not over the top and it does not dominate the taste. Priced about right. Enjoyed it, a good effort by the producer."

Mr Terence Eastham (13-Jan-2016)

"Wow! what a fantastic Chardonnay, and at £9.95 its a steal. I know it sounds daft at this price but there's definitely a parallel to Puligny Montrachet if a tad less subtle. One little problem is the Screwtop its solid metal. I had to take a hacksaw to mine, the metal wasn't perforated at all. Didn't stop me enjoying it though."

Mr James Brown (14-Oct-2015)

2012 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS

Cumbria Life (26th Feb 2016)

"Oak-aged, Meursaultworthy, steely and refreshingly acidic wine. Balanced and elegant with layered mid-palate and decent length. Outrageous value. "

2011 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS

"This review's for the 2010 vintage, reportedly a very good one for Auckland. Tasted 30 Dec 2013, well chilled. Pale straw colour. Nose not huge, some toasted nuts, citrus and golden ripe apples, ripe fruit. Not oaky at all (is this a New World Chardonnay?). In mouth lovely ripe fruit, toasted hazelnuts, ripe lemons, some peachiness and pineapples, a good medium-body mouth-feel and creaminess but a lively acidity too. Lovely acid lick after all that fruit. Attractive wine right now, I will drink my remaining bottles within next 12 months before acid falls away. Maybe a tad too much oak, if I'm honest. Value-for-money: Outstanding. Would you get this level of wine in a basic white Burgundy for £9.50? I doubt it. Definitely buy again, but will choose my vintages. "

Mr Callum Hantler (05-Feb-2015)

2010 VINTAGE - MEMBER REVIEWS

"I agree with the professionals. Very appealing. Definitely a southern hemisphere wine, but with a class which is often lacking in some of the less expensive offerings."

Mr James Kilmister (02-Mar-2014)

2010 VINTAGE - PRESS REVIEWS

The Times (7th Dec 2013)

"One of The Times Top 50 Winter Whites 2013. This New Zealand chardonnay is given the Burgundian-style treatment of indigenous wild yeasts, barrel fermentation and ageing to create a gorgeous Côte d’Or-esque bold, smoky, toasted hazelnut of a chardonnay: heaven. - Jane MacQuitty"

JancisRobinson.com (22nd Nov 2013)

"One of The Times Top 50 Winter Whites, 2013 Very lively and jewelly. So precise and appetising. Good value. 16/20 "

The Daily Telegraph (12th Oct 2013)

" ?Kumeu River, just outside Auckland, makes arguably the best chardonnay in New Zealand (and no, that is not like recommending the best salsa bar for the over-75s in Nuneaton). The wine is glorious – the control of Burgundy meets the lemon succulence and luminescence of Down Under. This is Kumeu’s entry level rather than one of its top wines but it’s still very good with a roast buttery chicken. - Victoria Moore "

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