Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2014
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
This wine has fragrant lemon/lime blossom aromas on the nose that typify the lovely perfume from fruit grown in Hunting Hill. This wine shares some of the characters with the neighbouring Mate’s Vineyard with its attractive floral notes and restrained elegance. The Hunting Hill vineyard has a particularly pure character that, in its youth, displays a tight and crisp palate. Bottle age will reveal the power and concentration that lies beneath the surface.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Stunning nose of citrus blossom. Certainly not the most powerful or dramatic chardonnay out there, but there’s great finesse here, the fruit and oak beautifully integrated through the very long finish that's as fresh as a mountain stream. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Hunting Hill Chardonnay has a white peach, spiced apple and honeyed pear nose with hints of ginger, brioche and almonds. Medium-bodied, the silken textured palate gives layer upon layer of stone fruit and savoury flavors plus excellent persistence.
Other Vintages
2022- Vinous
-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
-
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine -
Spirits
Wine &
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
Founded in 1944 by Mick Brajkovich, wife Katé and son Maté, Kumeu River was one of the early pioneers in Auckland, New Zealand, that helped to establish its reputation as a world-class wine region. Still family owned and run, Kumeu River continues to pioneer new frontiers: winemaker Michael Brajkovich became New Zealand’s first member of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine, London, they have been testing and championing screw cap closures for close to 20 years and the winery has gone on to become the globally recognized benchmark for non-Burgundy produced Chardonnay. All Kumeu River wines are hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and demonstrate exclusive use of indigenous yeast fermentation.
The Chardonnays of Kumeu River have gained a strong foothold within the international market, continuously and consistently receiving outstanding accolades. The winery is a globally recognized benchmark for age-worthy Chardonnay outside of Burgundy.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Grape-growers in the local subregions of Clevedon, Matakana and Waiheke Island, focusing on vineyard techniques to maximize quality, are producing very fine Bordeaux Blends from local grapes. Auckland is also an industrial area where winemakers can produce quality wines based on sourced grapes from neighboring regions.