Kumeu River 2025s tasting - July 24th

w/- Paul Brajkovich

Just released this week are the 2025 Chardonnays from Kumeu River. An invitation to taste through the selection pre=release at the winery with Paul Brajkovich should always be replied to in the positive. Paul says that 2025 reflect a “Normal sized vintage”, plus the Hunting Hill vineyard is now 100% planted to Chardonnay. The Pinot Noir vines are now all gone - removed in 2022.

Moving forward there are two Pinot Noir releases both coming from the Rays Road site in Hawkes Bay. Rays Road is a 20Ha property.

Chardonnay tasting all 2025

Village - No mistaking the KR signature with 70% Hawkes Bay fruit, including some Rays Rid and Bridge Pa, 70% Tank fermented. A whisper of flint and lees then fruit, pear and white peach then some citrus and fine lees textures. Barrel for. Just a few months. VG 90 Points - Premium.

Rays Road - What a great bouquet with concentration and power, finesse and a fine lees finesse then white fleshed 15/548 and Mendoza – Barrel-fermented in seasoned barrels, fabulous mineral quality and freshness, satin mouthfeel and pure fruit flavours. A wine that clearly builds on the KR style and future plans. Delicious and lengthy. 93 Points Excellent.

Coddington - I love the whiff of earth-smoke, marl and friable soil then a fine lees complexity (hottest day 28 C, long and dry summer, lots of pristine and fine white fleshed fruits, citrus with a light creamy mouthfeel. Complex, pure and delicious, still a favourite with a Burgundian Meursault style or impression. Length, clean and long. 96 Points, just fantastic and will age well.

Hunting Hill - Fabulous bouquet with a mineral centric seam - this is the 20th vintage. 2006 was the first release from 5yo vines, 25% new barrels, some new Francois Freres barrels now introduced - perhaps that's the difference. Dry, and wow! On the palate a wine of complexity and power. A completely complex wine with great length and power, freshness and style, the relationship between lees, oak and urgency of the vintage shows, 97 Points - Simply Outstanding.

Mate's - 33rd vintage. Taut, closed, complex and very very new. Aromas and flavours of ripe white fleshed fruits with a sweet citrus pith note, fine lees and layers of gentle wood spices. A very focused and complex wine, one to visit several times over a day or two. Taut and delicious. 98 Points.

Then a few reds…..

Village Pinot Noir 2025, 100% Hawkes Bay fruit. Aromas of whole berries, lots of ripeness and freshness, no oak, MLF then bottled early. Plush and fruity, ripe and ready, some red apple and berry fruits. Well made and ready. 89 Points Solid and Recommended

Rays Road 2022 - there was no 2023 made and the 2024 is ready to release when the 2022 has sold through. Varietal with plenty of pinosity and impact from red berry fruits and fruit spice layers, a voice of place too with a soft earthy quality, silty soils and a chalky quality. Well made with a lengthy finish, Taut and new still with best drinking from 2029 through 2036. 93 Points - Excellent

Crémant – Methode Traditionnelle - fruit is mostly from 2021 harvest, bottled June 2022, Feb 2026 disgorged, dosage 5 grams. 100% Chardonnay. Taut, crisp and dry, a lovely level of complexity and finesse, ageing nicely too.. Made with 30% res wine used - dates back to 2012. A lovely aperitif expression. 93 Points - Excellent

Rose Methode Traditionnelle from 2020, bottled July 21, disgorged May 2025. Dosage 5 grams. A lovely bouquet with a red apple and cherry like fragrance, some florals too with an heirloom rose petal ideas. Taut and dry, very plush and crisp with a pristine acid line and long finish. A delicious wine with charm and some elegance. Very young too , delicious really, a wine that speaks to the future of NZ sparkling. 94 Points Excellent

Blanc de Blanc 2019 Methode Traditionnelle. The juice is 20% reserve wine, over 5 years on lees, bottled August 2020, disgorged March 2026. Brioche and proper - French - croissant, a distinctive autolysis and aromatic impact, some flintiness that seems part of the personality and style adding length to the bandwidth on the nose. Plenty of new world fruit too, all citrus and white fleshed. Excellent mousse and finesse of bubble adds to the elegance and finesse across the palate. Delicious, dry and lengthy, I love it! 96 Points - Outstanding.

Thank you Paul and the whole team for this opportunity

Kumeu River 2025 Wines tasted July 24th 2026