Kumeu River Rays Road Chardonnay 2024

Category:
 
White Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
White Wines
Producer:
 
Kumeu River
Label Name:
 
Rays Road Chardonnay
Vintage:
 
2024
Country:
 
New Zealand
Region:
 
Hawkes Bay
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
12.8%
Grape(s):
 
Chardonnay
Acidity:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
3
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
12-14°C

Awards/Ratings
Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate 92–94 pts; Jancis Robinson 17/20; listed and reviewed by Berry Bros

Tasting Note
Peach and yellow-citrus fruit with flint and limestone minerality, spicy/ginger notes, creamy mid-palate and vibrant acidity. Mineral-driven, focused, with a long, chalky finish.

Food Pairing
Western: grilled scallops, beurre blanc seafood, roast chicken, creamy pasta, mushroom risotto. Asian: miso-glazed cod, tempura prawns, chicken katsu, mild Thai green curry, sushi (salmon).

Production Method
Hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed; indigenous (wild) yeast fermentation in older French oak barrels; 100% malolactic; 11 months barrel maturation.

Vineyard Info
Rays Road is a limestone hillside vineyard (c.180m altitude, northerly aspect) purchased by Kumeu River in 2017; originally planted in 2008 by Pascal Jolivet and Trinity Hill; dry‑farmed and single‑vineyard bottled.