Simply brilliant value this - glorious wine, the very essence of fruit-driven Pinot Noir. Has a cool, tangy feeling it, not at all heavy, very gentle, soft tannin and sprightly acidity. Plenty of rhubarb, cherry and raspberry, quite fruit-forward, but also fresh and elegant. Great drinking.

The Brajkovich family and their estate Kumeu River Wines have a story that parallels the New Zealand wine industry. From the pioneering days to the establishment of the New Zealand wine industry to today, the Brajkovich family have been internationally recognised as producing world class wine. Starting in 1937, Mick and Katé Brajkovich arrive in New Zealand from Croatia, and purchase a plot of land north of Auckland. Mick's son Maté made wine, and had four children. Today, those 4 children live and work on the same plot of land, and craft some of New Zealand's greatest wines. In all of this, it is worth noting that the modern New Zealand wine industry really only got going in the 1970s...so Kumeu River is truly something special. The estate itself encompasses 30 hectares of vineyards, which are managed sensitively, and are planted to a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and of course Chardonnay, which they are best known for. The vines are unirrigated, mature and well looked after, and produce fruit that in turn produces wines that are balanced, harmonious and complex. This is a wonderful place producing wonderful wine.