Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2024

Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay is a single-variety Chardonnay made by the Kumeu River winery. The fruit is drawn from six plots, picked by hand and pressed as whole bunches, a gentle method that limits phenolic bitterness and yields a cleaner, more delicate juice. The whole must is fermented in barrel with native yeasts, then taken through malolactic fermentation, which converts firm malic acid into softer lactic acid and lends the buttery, creamy character typical of fine Chardonnay. The wine is aged for around eleven months in barrel, where lees contact and slow oxygen exchange through the wood build texture and a subtle toasted complexity. The cool maritime climate keeps the acidity fresh and gives the wine its tension and length. The colour is bright straw gold. The nose leads with white peach and lemon, backed by hazelnut, toasted bread and a light vanilla lift from the oak. The palate is rounded and layered, the stone fruit and citrus wrapped in a fine, creamy texture, with a mineral line keeping the long finish precise. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees in a full white glass.