Kate Radburnd is a highly experienced winemaker, not to put too fine a point on it, with 38 years of winemaking under her belt, 26 of them at CJ Pask Wines and now she has launched her own brand, Radburnd Cellars.

The brand was established at the end of 2017. The first wines were made in 2019 from the 2018 vintage and we now stock Radburnd Chardonnay and Radburnd Syrah in store, both of which we have available to try under Coravin so you can make an informed decision before spending on these two exceptional drops, which we are extremely impressed by. They are made in small quantities with long term aging in mind and a Merlot Cabernet blend to join the duo. Kate is making her wines in the old Wishart building in Bay View, Napier, a facility she is currently leasing for her wine production.

Here are our thoughts on the wines we have tasted...

2018 Radburnd Hawke’s Bay Syrah

Released June 2020 and made from the MS Syrah clone grown in Bridge Pa Triangle's red earth and the Dartmoor Valley on stony river soils. 

Peppery, spicy, cloves and cardamon aromas all give this wine complexity and massively spicy notes. It's bone dry to taste with a medium body and an impressively toned back style. Matured for 18 months in new and seasoned French oak barriques. A beautifully expressive and spicy Syrah with elegance. 

2018 Radburnd Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay

Chardonnay grapes from Mangatahi and Bridge Pa go into this cool climate expression of Hawke's Bay's most planted white grape variety. Mangatahi is inland and elevated so brings in citrus notes which are nicely balanced by this wine's full body, powerful lemon brulee flavours and rich, barrel derived creamy notes. It was  100% barrel fermented, approximately 50/50 new and one to two year barrels with a mix of wild and cultivated yeasts. A great white now and for future cellaring.