“… I didn’t feel that Kumeu River’s Chardonnays were some of the best in New Zealand. Not, they were some of the best in the world.” — Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, May 2015

Kumeu River has come out on top, yet again, in a series of blind tastings that posed New Zealand Chardonnays against some of the finest white burgundy producers in Chassagne, Meursault and Puligny. Quality is not the only arena that Kumeu River reigned supreme. For value, the New Zealand Chardonnays offered the best, costing a fraction of what their equivalents in Burgundy retail.

Twenty members of the trade and media — most of which were Master Sommeliers or MS candidates — gathered at Wilson Daniels Wholesale in New York in February to taste through three flights of Chardonnays, ranking the four wines from 0 to 3. Here are the results:

FLIGHT 1
KUMEU RIVER 2012 ESTATE CHARDONNAY ($35) 50
Domaine Leflaive 2012 Bourgogne Blanc ($85) 30
Henri Prudhon 2012 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Perrieres ($40) 22
Comtes Lafon 2012 Monthelie ($64) 18

FLIGHT 2
Morey-Coffinet 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Houilleres ($46) 21
Jean-Marc Pillot 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers Clos Saint Marc ($99) 36
KUMEU RIVER 2012 CODDINGTON CHARDONNAY ($46) 36
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet La Maltroie ($89) 27

FLIGHT 3
Domaine Leflaive 2013 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon ($155) 34
KUMEU RIVER 2012 MATÉ’S VINEYARD CHARDONNAY ($54) 43
Francois Carillon 2012 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champs-Gain ($100) 22
Jacques Carillon 2012 Puligny-Montrachet ($75) 21