Chardonnay
75cl * 13.5% ABV * Auckland, New Zealand
Rays Road is Kumeu River’s vineyard site in Hawkes Bay that was purchased in 2017. This limestone hillside is at 180 m altitude, with a northerly aspect. It is dry-farmed to yield high quality grapes for wine under the Rays Road name for the Kumeu River label. This Chardonnay was hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels to give a wine that is zesty and fragrant, with mineral complexity that is very true to its site.
The 2025 vintage in Hawkes Bay was excellent and back to normal yields after the two small previous vintages. Kumeu River has seen dramatic improvement from this vineyard each year since it was purchased in 2017. The ripeness and richness from 2025 is a step up even from the excellent 2024 Rays Road Chardonnay. The aromas are peachier this year although the distinctive flint, and zesty limestone characters are still there. The palate is showing more density and concentration than previous vintages and this is setting up to be a very fine Chardonnay vineyard. As with last year’s Rays Road this feels like it needs bottle age. We are looking forward to following its development of this wine and indeed the vineyard itself over the coming years
Drink from 2027-2034.
'Made like the Estate Chardonnay except that there may have been one or two new barrels. Nothing but their own newish plantings (from 2018) of Chardonnay now in this bottling, so no clone 95, just clone 15, 548 and perhaps a little Mendoza. Next year they’ll release a single-parcel Hawke’s Bay bottling that’s not yet named and this will be followed by a second parcel bottling the following year.
Tight, introvert nose – quite steely. Sleek and fresh with an obvious, though mild, oak corset. Quite structured. Lots to chew on and a little bit of passion-fruit flavour.' 17+Pts, Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com, September 2026