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Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
2023 Rays Road Chardonnay, Kumeu River Wine Republic

2023 Rays Road Chardonnay, Kumeu River

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

The 2023 Rays Road Chardonnay represents a new benchmark for this distinctive limestone hillside vineyard in Hawke’s Bay. Hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed, the wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts in seasoned French oak barrels, allowing the purity of the site to shine through without oak influence.

Aromatically vibrant and lifted, the nose reveals crystalline citrus, subtle florals, and a flinty minerality that is fast becoming the hallmark of Rays Road. On the palate, it offers remarkable concentration and textural finesse, with layers of lemon zest, white stone fruit, and saline complexity. A core of bright acidity drives the wine through to a long, mineral finish.

This is the most complete expression of Rays Road to date, delicious now, yet destined to evolve gracefully over the next 5–7 years.

Whats in the bottle
100% Chardonnay

Notable Awards
96 Points – James Suckling “A tight, focused and dense white. Sliced cooked apples, minerals and stone, with hints of dried mangoes. It’s medium-bodied and focused with a flavorful finish. Lime undertones. Drink or hold”

£28.95 - £28.95
£28.95
£28.95 - £28.95
£28.95
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Kumeu River is one of New Zealand’s most respected and internationally acclaimed family-owned wineries, located just northwest of Auckland. Established in 1944 by Croatian immigrants Mick and Katé Brajkovich, Kumeu River has become synonymous with exceptional Chardonnay, crafted with Burgundian finesse and New World purity.

Now run by the second and third generations of the Brajkovich family, Kumeu River is globally recognised for producing some of the finest Chardonnay outside of Burgundy, with consistent critical acclaim from international wine critics and publications. The estate’s maritime climate, clay-rich soils, and meticulous vineyard and cellar practices, including wild yeast fermentation and barrel ageing, contribute to the depth, complexity, and age-worthiness of their wines.

The Kumeu River range spans village-level to single-vineyard bottlings, with standout cuvées such as Mate’s Vineyard earning cult status. The winery also produces excellent Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, though Chardonnay remains its defining focus and claim to fame.

Hand harvested, Whole-bunch pressed.  Indigenous yeast fermentation
100% barrel fermentation in French Oak.  100% malo-lactic fermentation and 11 months maturation in barrel

Grape
Chardonnay

Alcohol by Volume
12.8%

Vintage
2023

Country
New Zealand

Size
750ml

Types
White Wine

Producer
Kumeu

Region
Hawkes Bay

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