{"product_id":"2024-estate-chardonnay-kumeu-river","title":"2024 Estate Chardonnay, Kumeu River","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"81\" data-end=\"655\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGolden Thread\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"81\" data-end=\"655\"\u003eBright, precise and quietly luxurious, the 2024 Estate Chardonnay shows exactly why Kumeu River has become such a benchmark for modern Chardonnay. Drawn from \u003cstrong data-start=\"239\" data-end=\"261\"\u003esix vineyard sites\u003c\/strong\u003e, this vintage carries lovely concentration from a \u003cstrong data-start=\"312\" data-end=\"340\"\u003elow-yielding, dry season\u003c\/strong\u003e, but never loses its poise. Aromas of lemon zest, orange peel and fresh apricot rise first, followed by orchard fruit, white blossom and a subtle flinty note. There is a gentle creaminess from barrel work, but it sits neatly behind the fruit, adding polish rather than weight. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"657\" data-end=\"1186\"\u003eOn the palate, it feels both generous and tightly drawn, with ripe stone fruit, citrus tension and that lovely Kumeu River hallmark of freshness running right through the centre. The texture is supple and layered, shaped by \u003cstrong data-start=\"881\" data-end=\"908\"\u003ewild yeast fermentation\u003c\/strong\u003e and around \u003cstrong data-start=\"920\" data-end=\"969\"\u003e11 months in French oak, with 20% new barrels\u003c\/strong\u003e, yet the finish stays bright, mineral and mouthwatering. This is Chardonnay with real composure, more about finesse and length than showiness, and all the more compelling for it. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1188\" data-end=\"1507\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1188\" data-end=\"1201\"\u003eFor when:\u003c\/strong\u003e roast chicken is on the table and the evening deserves something a little finer.\u003cbr data-start=\"1282\" data-end=\"1285\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1285\" data-end=\"1300\"\u003ePairs with:\u003c\/strong\u003e lobster, roast chicken, creamy mushroom dishes, or turbot with brown butter.\u003cbr data-start=\"1377\" data-end=\"1380\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1380\" data-end=\"1410\"\u003eIf this wine were a place:\u003c\/strong\u003e a calm, sunlit room with linen curtains, polished wood and the faint scent of citrus in the air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1509\" data-end=\"2047\"\u003eKumeu River is one of New Zealand’s great Chardonnay specialists, a family estate just outside Auckland that has built its reputation on crafting wines of Burgundian finesse from the Kumeu region’s clay-rich vineyards. The Estate Chardonnay is the wine that first made the winery famous, blending multiple sites to capture both complexity and house style, and in 2024, it looks particularly strong, with recent critics awarding it \u003cstrong data-start=\"1939\" data-end=\"1969\"\u003e92 points from Erin Larkin\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong data-start=\"1974\" data-end=\"2008\"\u003e92 points from Rebecca Gibb MW\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wine Republic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54799834579329,"sku":null,"price":27.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/0513\/9841\/files\/2024_estate_Chardonnay.png?v=1780417140","url":"https:\/\/www.wine-republic.co.uk\/products\/2024-estate-chardonnay-kumeu-river","provider":"Wine Republic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}