Kumeu RiverHunting Hill Chardonnay, Kumeu

Kumeu River

Hunting Hill Chardonnay, Kumeu

Hunting Hill is one of Kumeu River's 4 single vineyard Chardonnays. Named after the hillside farmland where founder, Maté Brajkovich, used to hunt rabbits and pheasants for the home kitchen. Originally planted in 1982, and replanted in 2001. Soils are heavy clay over sandstone. The site also has an iron pan about 12 inches below the surface, which none of the other vineyards have and imparts a unique minerality to the wine.

Vintage Factsheets

2023 2022

Hunting Hill is a vineyard that was first planted in 1982 and became a significant part of the original Kumeu River Chardonnay blend. Occupying the slope overlooking Mate’s Vineyard, it has always contributed lovely ripe and rich fruit to the Estate Chardonnay and select barrels are set aside for the Hunting Hill Single Vineyard bottling. Hunting Hill was replanted in 2001 and is now even better than before, giving beautifully ripe fruit with a distinctive mealy minerality. Soils are heavy clay over sandstone. The site also has an iron pan about 12 inches below the surface, which none of the other vineyards have and imparts a unique minerality to the wine.

Region: Kumeu

Appellation: Kumeu

Varietal Composition: Chardonnay

Aging: Fruit was hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels. After malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is then matured for 11 months in French oak.

Alcohol: 14%

Hunting Hill is very distinctive in its terroir typicity, with piercing lemon/lime fruit lift and florality on the nose, richness and volume in the mouth followed by lingering acidity and minerality on the finish. This is an absolute classic example of how great the Chardonnay grape can be: A beautifully powerful, yet elegant and complex wine with long term aging ability.