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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
2025 Rays Road Chardonnay, Kumeu River

2025 Rays Road Chardonnay, Kumeu River

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Limestone & Light

Flinty, fragrant and beautifully focused, Rays Road has the citrus clarity and saline poise that will appeal to lovers of fine Chablis, wrapped in Kumeu River’s gently generous texture. White peach, crisp apple and lemon peel mingle with delicate blossom, followed by creamy cashew and a subtle smoky note. There is an inviting tension between ripe fruit and stony freshness, with understated oak allowing the vineyard’s distinctive character to shine.

The palate is sleek and finely textured, opening with supple stone fruit before bright acidity brings everything into focus. A delicate chalky grip gives shape to the wine, while its creamy middle carries surprising depth for something so refreshing. Citrus pith and a savoury, saline edge linger through the long finish. Delicious with seafood and rewarding to explore over an unhurried evening, this is Chardonnay with both immediate appeal and the structure to develop beautifully in bottle.

For when: Lunch stretches into the afternoon, and the conversation deserves another glass.

Pairs with: Grilled langoustines with lemon butter, roast cod with white beans, crab linguine, scallops with cauliflower purée, chicken with tarragon cream, or a leek and Gruyère tart.

Rays Road comes from a limestone hillside in Hawke’s Bay, extending the Brajkovich family’s Chardonnay story beyond their home vineyards near Auckland. Purchased in 2017, the site sits around 180 metres above sea level with a northerly aspect and an exposed position. Its distinctive combination of citrus brightness, savoury texture and mineral freshness gives it a compelling identity within the Kumeu River range.

Whats in the bottle
100% Chardonnay

Notable Awards
94 points, Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate, September 2026 & 96 points, James Suckling

£28.95 - £28.95
£28.95
£28.95 - £28.95
£28.95
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Kumeu River’s story began in 1944, when Croatian immigrants Mick and Katé Brajkovich and their son Maté purchased a property in Kumeu, north-west of Auckland. From those modest beginnings, the family built a winery that would become one of New Zealand’s defining Chardonnay producers. Originally known as San Marino Vineyards, it adopted the Kumeu River name in 1986 as its focus on fine, Burgundy-influenced Chardonnay took shape.

The family’s home vineyards in Kumeu benefit from a maritime climate and moisture-retaining clay soils over sandstone. Rays Road adds a different perspective: an elevated limestone site in Hawke’s Bay, farmed without irrigation. Together, these contrasting locations allow the family to explore Chardonnay’s range, from the layered richness of their Kumeu wines to the citrus-led precision of Rays Road.

Sustainable vineyard practices, hand harvesting and careful fruit selection underpin the approach. In the cellar, indigenous yeasts and traditional barrel fermentation build complexity while preserving each vineyard’s individuality. The wines draw inspiration from Burgundy, with a confidence and character rooted firmly in their New Zealand origins.

Made from 100% Chardonnay grown at the Rays Road vineyard in Hawke’s Bay. The north-facing limestone hillside rises to approximately 180 metres and is dry-farmed. Grapes are harvested by hand and selected for quality before pressing.

Whole bunches are pressed, and the juice ferments in French oak barrels using indigenous yeasts. Full malolactic fermentation contributes to the wine’s supple texture, balancing the bright acidity that defines its style.

Maturation takes place over 11 months in French oak, principally older barrels, allowing texture and complexity to develop without a dominant oak flavour. The finished wine combines a creamy mid-palate with a firm citrus structure, offering pleasure in youth and scope for further development.

Alcohol: 13.5%. Vegan. Recommended drinking window: 2027–2034.

Wine-Searcher Retailer Awards 2026/27 Gold, Overall List in Cardiff