Kumeu River, Mates Vineyard Chardonnay, Kumeu 2021

The story of Kumeu River Wines began to unfold more than half a century ago with the first generation of the Brajkovich family to arrive in New Zealand from Croatia. Extensions and additions mark the milestones that have seen the business adapt and expand over the years. Kumeu River Wines now encompasses 30 hectares of vineyards, which are predominantly clay soils overlying a sandstone base. The winery produces around 250,000 bottles annually.

The Chardonnay wines of Kumeu River have gained a strong foothold within the international market, receiving outstanding accolades. The vineyard has gone on to become the globally recognised benchmark for non-Burgundy produced Chardonnay.

In 1990, Maté Brajkovich reworked the land and planted a new vineyard of Chardonnay vines on the site of the original vineyard that he and his family purchased in March 1944. The first grapes from this vineyard were harvested in March 1993, the year following Maté’s death. The resulting wine was released in November 1994 to coincide with celebrations marking the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Brajkovich Family’s arrival at Kumeu River.