Kumeu River
Hunting Hill Chardonnay, Kumeu
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 Maté’s Vineyard, it is named after the hillside farmland where Maté Brajkovich used to hunt rabbits and pheasants for the home kitchen. It was
replanted in 2001 and is now even better than before, giving beautifully ripe fruit with a distinctive, mealy minerality.
Hunting Hill is one of Kumeu River’s four single-vineyard Chardonnays, located across from the winery and just behind Maté’s Vineyard. Its heavy clay-over-sandstone soils feature a unique iron pan layer only 12 inches below the surface, giving the wines a distinctive, pronounced minerality.
- Region
- Kumeu
- Appellation
- Kumeu
- Varietal Composition
- Chardonnay
- Aging
- 11 months in French oak barrels; 25% new
- Alcohol
- 14%
Hunting Hill shows classic lemon and lime blossom aromas with added richness from the vintage. The palate is concentrated, dense, and long, reflecting the vineyard’s low yields.
Wine Advocate
95 Points
“The peach-inflected, medium to full-bodied, the mouthfeel is welcoming and silky, the flavors ranging from yellow peach and grilled pineapple to toasted hazelnuts and even a touch of honey, balanced on the lengthy finish by bright citrus notes.”
— Joe Czerwinski, 2021
Wine Enthusiast
93 Points
“This wine opens with delicate melon, peach and citrus notes, backed by honeysuckle and fresh oats. The palate shows the restraint and poise for which this label is known. It crackles with acidity and a talc-like texture, the pure fruit backed by brioche oak characteristics. Harmonious, varietal and expressive of place, this is a polished bottling for drinking now.”
— Christina Pickard, 2021
Kumeu River
Chardonnay Hunting Hill Kumeu
Introducing Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay
