The 2015 vintage in Kumeu was warm and dry and produced wonderfully ripe Chardonnay grapes with great intensity of fruit and finesse across all of our vineyards.

A large proportion of this Village wine is usually fermented in stainless steel tanks. However, in 2013 the crop was very small due to a severe spring frost which reduced the yield by 70%, so we were able to ferment all of the wine in old French oak barrels and augmented with some wine we bought from Hawkes Bay which made up 25% of the final blend.

The 2015 Village Chardonnay has elegant citrus and peach fruit aromas, along with the touch of hazelnut that is typical of quality Chardonnay. The palate also shows nice ripe peach flavours with fine, flinty acidity that gives the wine a refreshing long finish. This wine is perfect to drink with fish and shellfish.