Grape

Chardonnay

Its Origins

In 1938 Maté Brajkovich arrived in New Zealand with his parents, who settled in Kumeu and in 1944 bought a small vineyard which would later become Kumeu River wines. For a few decades Maté mostly made simple fortified and sparkling wines. It wasn't until 1982 however, when Matés son Michael took over, that the wines would really start to turn heads. Michael and his siblings began to transform the vineyard and vinification practices to more considered, traditional ways, with hand harvesting, improved drainage, judicious use of oak and only using the wild yeast present in the vineyard to bring a sharper definition of terroir into the wines. Matés vineyard is the original land bought in 1944, re-planted by Maté just before his death with low-yielding Mendoza clone Chardonnay in 1990.

What The Critics Say

95/100 Bob Campbell MW

"Lovely wine! An appealing core of sweet fruit with white peach, nectarine and a lovely saline-mineral lift supported by gentle acidity. A totally seductive, fruit-forward wine with an ethereal texture. 28 JUL 2020." Drink 2020 - 2026

94/100 Cameron Douglas MS

"Quite pure. As the wine unfurls in glass aromas of white peach, whispers of flint, apple and quince begin to emerge. There’s a calm, balanced and obvious layer of oak with a whisper of white smoke then baking spices. On the palate - a youthful and enticing wine with medium+ acidity, a lively texture that dances nicely on the tongue and fruit flavours along with subtle baking spices mirror the nose. A complete wine, balanced with medium+ length and complexity. Drinkable today but also worthy of your cellar. Best drinking from early 2021 through 2024." Drink 2021 - 2024