Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2022

$23.49 / $21.49 6+ bottles (6saves2)

It is hard to find a chardonnay this good under $20. A classic set of aromas and flavors with good complexity keep the involved drinker happy and the casual drinker stoked. 40% fermented in old French oak barriques, and the remaining 60% in stainless steel tanks. There is very little oak influence on either the nose or palate. Vibrant fruits like green apple, lime and lemon mesh with a mineral-flinty edginess with hints of white necatrine and white peach.

91 Decanter
The Kumeu River team calls this 'a perfect aperitif wine' sourced from the Rays Road vineyard and others in Hawke's Bay along with Kumeu estate fruit. It's a minerally, crisp Chablis style showcasing green apple and crunchy nectarine flavours with lime leaf and verbena nuances.

93 Wine Enthusiast
This may be the lowest priced of the Kumeu range, but there's a salivating factor that makes it very appealing to drink now. Bright melon, peach and white florals lead, with the creamier elements tucked neatly behind. There's a lovely lift of acidity to balance the fruit, oak and lees influence on the palate. An excellent intro to NZ's Chardonnay benchmark producer. Drink up. Editors' Choice

Kumeu River Chardonnay is drawn from six different vineyard sites in the Kumeu Region. We are particularly careful in selecting only the very best grapes from these vineyards for our Kumeu River Estate label. The excellent vintage came on the heels of three others, in a magnificent chain of four superb quality harvests. The Kumeu vineyards that contribute to this wine gave us a blend of Chardonnay that is particularly ripe, peachy, and not only delicious to drink. But also has the concentration and lingering complexity that we expect from this wine. This is quality Chardonnay wine of style and pedigree that we know has the capability of aging as well as any of its predecessors.