The labels may have been tweaked at Kumeu River but the superb premium chardonnays remain the same and are still a benchmark for the ultimate in consistency and quality.
All wines are available from heraldwine.co.nz for a limited time.
2012 Kumeu Village Chardonnay It's still a family business with all hands on deck and Michael Brajkovich MW continues to work his considerable magic across a range of wines to meet all budgets. The Village Chardonnay is outstanding value and deservedlyflies off the shelf and out the cellar door. Vibrant fruit, little oak but with citrus, fig and white peach flavours. Grab a case while you can. Price: $16.50
2012 Kumeu River Estate chardonnay Just released and created from six different vineyard sites in the Kumeu region north of Auckland, like the other chardonnays in the portfolio, this one goes well with seafood, chicken, pasta or on its own. A medium-priced classic, it is rich and ripe with plenty of swagger and aromas of peach and hazelnut. Mate would have loved them all. Price: $30
2012 Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay One of New Zealand's most sophisticated chardonnays. A tribute to the family patriarch, Mate, this is the 20th vintage of its line. The first was released in November 1994, just a couple of years after the legendary pioneer's death. Unique like Mate himself, this chardonnay is all about complexity, concentration and mineral finesse. Taut and textural, this is a wine to cellar ... spectacular. Price: $70
