This is the second release of this Chardonnay, following on from a micro release in 2024. Situated on the chalky hillside of this tiny North Canterbury single vineyard, the Chardonnay vines work hard in the prevailing warm winds. Each task is performed in the vineyard with quality in mind and the work is lovingly done by hand throughout the season. Hand picked at the end of March, whilst the vines were enjoying a prolonged period of dry Autumn weather. Gently whole-bunch pressed, with the new juice going into French oak barrels for a natural fermentation over the following months. Aged for 10 months and bottled without fining.

VARIETY - Chardonnay
REGION - North Canterbury
SUB-REGION - Waipara
VINEYARD DETAILS - Single Vineyard Isolated Hill, grown on chalky limestone soils.
PRESSING - Whole bunch
TIME IN BARRELS - 10 months, 3 barrels
AGE OF OAK33%  - 1 yr old, 33% 2 yr old, 33% 3 yr old +. Very fine grained, French.
MALOLACTIC - Yes, naturally in Springtime
ALCOHOL - 13.5%
pH - 3.49
TA - 5.60g/L

The Main Divide is the name of the majestic Southern Alps, which form the backbone of the South Island of New Zealand. It is also the name of a range of outstanding, approachable priced drink-me-now styled wines from Pegasus Bay winery in North Canterbury. 

These wines consistently punch well above their price weight, including this Chardonnay, which is made from hand picked grapes, which were whole bunch pressed into large French oak puncheons and fermented with the grape's natural yeasts then matured on yeast lees for a year. Full bodied, creamy, bold and powerful.

Kumeu River Wines and the owners, the Brajkovich family, are icons of the New Zealand wine industry. This Chardonnay consistently over delivers for its modest price tag and is a dry, medium bodied wine with nutty, fresh, savoury elements derived from fermentation in old French oak barriques for 80% of the wine with the balancing 20% in stainless steel to preserve freshness. 

This wine is great drinking now as a fab go-to wine, any time.

Kumeu River Wines began life as San Marino Wines in 1944 when Croatian immigrant couple, Mick and Katé Brajkovich, bought a small property with a vineyard on it. Their descendents now own and run Kumeu River Wines, which produces 250,000 bottles of wine annually from its owns 30 hectares of vineyards in Kumeu and from another 10 hectares, owned by local grape growers. 

This wine offers a complex aroma of citrus, stonefruit, and spice characteristics. The palate has depth and intensity with mineral notes and a powerful finish with flavours of apricot and vanilla, balanced by a juicy acidity. A Chardonnay that shows richness alongside a tightly structured palate with layers of texture and pairs well with snapper, saffron, shellfish and other delicate flavours.

Kumeu River Wines is New Zealand's top Chardonnay producer and best known globally. 

Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay is the flagship white from the winery. It is made from  grapes grown on six different vineyard sites in Kumeu and is consistently one of New Zealand's greatest dry, full bodied whites with outstanding freshness and complexity.

The winery is in the West Auckland village of Kumeu where it began life as San Marino Wines in 1944 when Croatian immigrant couple, Mick and Katé Brajkovich, bought a small property with a vineyard on it. Their descendents now own and run Kumeu River Wines, which produces 250,000 bottles of wine annually from its owns 30 hectares of vineyards in Kumeu and from another 10 hectares, owned by local grape growers. 

The first release of this special cuvee is from an exceptional Chardonnay parcel in the renowned Howell Family Vineyard.

Hints of orange peel and candied lime, flirt with cedar and toasted almond on the nose. On the palate the wine shows great power and presence on the attack, with a rich silky textured mid palate supported by a zesty acid finish, providing length , vitality and balance.

This wine will age extremely well over the next five-six years.

860 bottles made.

From the winemakers...

Our Chardonnay comes from an old hillside vineyard in the Southern Valleys region of Marlborough, where clay based loess soils prevail. Larger old barrels have predominantly been used to naturally ferment the wine. Untouched and aged over 14 months, without anything more than a peek in the barrel from time to time, has enhanced the elegance of this wine. Poised, with a delicious mineral backbone this chardonnay has tension, and genorosity at the same time, with a whiff of that classic struck match note that cool climate chardonnay can produce so well.

Suitable for Vegans.

Rays Road is Kumeu River’s new vineyard site in Hawkes Bay. 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 our 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.

Mount Beautiful by name and by nature, this full bodied, peachy South Island Chardonnay is beautifully balanced by freshness and acidity of flavours of red apple, stone fruits and nectarines, leading to a creamy, textured palate that is medium bodied. Flavours include layers of buttered brioche and the wine finishes clean and crisp with flint-like minerality.

Tasting Notes
Aromas of ripe peach abound, with subtle undertones of buttery oak and a refreshing citrus acid backbone, adding layers of complexity. A balance of fresh fruit, malolactic and oak influences have resulted in a full bodied wine with stone fruit flavours, buttery, nutty notes and Meyer lemon freshness.

Winemaker's Notes
100% fermented and aged in older French oak barrels, sur lie. 100% MLF. 10 months in barrel before being blended to tank, ready for bottling.


Food Match
Roast chicken & mushroom risotto
Roast Salmon with herby cous cous salad
Butternut Squash Cannelloni

Chardonnay lovers will be all over this wine made from hand picked grapes grown on the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay. Grapes were whole bunch pressed and
barrel fermented with wild yeasts, which provides rich depth of flavour and a smooth palate mouthfeel; Lees stirring enhances softness and builds structure and weight to this wine, which was aged for 11 months in barrel.

source- Luna Estate

The Quarter Acre Chardonnay is a wild fermented, elegant wine capable of ageing gracefully. The nose is toasty and mineral with notes of peach and lemon curd. These flavours continue through on the palate, which shows excellent terroir expression and complexity.