Our chairman first visited Kumeu River in 1990 – tipped off by wine trade legend Barry Phillips – where he tasted the 1989 vintage from barrel and subsequently placed an order. Farr Vintners has shipped every vintage of Kumeu River since and the wines now have a worldwide reputation of excellence. Widely renowned for their almost invariable habit of knocking white Burgundies, often with price tags that are many multiples higher, absolutely sideways at blind tastings, they represent outstanding value for money, particularly when compared with their counterparts from the Côte d’Or. Herewith what the critics say:
“Kumeu River somehow manages to make some of not just New Zealand’s but the world’s finest Chardonnay from vineyards in the Auckland suburbs. Three years ago I participated in a professional blind tasting in which Kumeu Chardonnays comprehensively knocked spots off some of the finest white burgundies.” – Jancis Robinson MW
"Do we need white burgundy? This thought went through my head at the end of an amazing, and impressively consistent, tasting of 48 Chardonnays from Kumeu River in New Zealand last month." - Jancis Robinson MW
“this is a world-class estate producing world-class wines” – Neal Martin
“If you can taste history, duty, and family pride in a glass, it’s there in the Kumeu River Chardonnays...now producing some of New Zealand’s greatest Chardonnays, not to mention the world’s.” – Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
Three single vineyard wines are made: Coddington, Matés and Hunting Hill. We like to think of the Coddington as Chassagne, the Matés as Corton Charlemagne and the Hunting Hill as Puligny. This is a simplistic but accurate summary.
The Farr Vintners pick of the single vineyard wines is almost always Hunting Hill. First produced in 2006, there is nothing else from the New World that matches its intensity, poise and balance. It is easy to get carried away with superlatives here, and that is before giving the wine some time in bottle: this is a wine that ages impeccably well and anyone who has tasted the 2007, 2010 or 2014 vintage of this wine will attest to their brilliance. Put simply: if this were white Burgundy it would be at least twice or three times the price, likely more (the least expensive Puligny on our list comes in at double the price of 2022 Hunting Hill).
2022 is a great vintage – the last of four excellent years on the spin - with a cool growing season that peaked at just 28 degrees Celsius. The slow, even ripening produced refined, silky wines with great balance and ageing potential. Consistent and dry 25 degree weather throughout January allowed for perfect ripening conditions to retain delicate aromas.
We opened a bottle in the office this week to check in on its development: on the one hand it is clear that those with patience will be rewarded - this really will be a spectacular Hunting Hill with some time in the bottle. On the other hand it is already disarmingly attractive, with a cleanliness and purity of fruit that isn't far off perfect.
The 2022 Chardonnay Hunting Hill is an impressive, focused style. It has a sense of energy, being almost buoyant with the movement of a skimming stone across your palate. There's a powerful core of fruit here and it has plenty of substance within its no-more-than medium-bodied core before kerpow! It fires home with an almost spicy kick. Clever oak use, reminiscent of toasted nuts, meets restrained flavors of lemon and lime bitter and nectarine fruit. A wine that's still in its cocoon so give it time. It may even have the edge of Maté's... Big call. 2024-2035.
Cooked apple and lemon curd with hints of pie crust and sweet biscuit. Some kiwi undertones. Medium-bodied with creamy texture and a flavorful finish. Drink now. Screw cap.
The 2022 Hunting Hill Chardonnay is mouthfilling and obvious in its outlay of flavor in the mouth—yellow peach, apricot, Golden Delicious apple, beeswax/lanolin and ripe lime flesh. The flutter of acidity that feathers the fruit is compelling and alluring in its power and juiciness. An exciting wine. It's a wine I want to drink (I will; the perks) and a wine I am enjoying considering too. It's intellectual and sensorial/corporeal in equal measure. The Hunting Hill Vineyard was planted in 1982 and overlooks Mate's Vineyard. This is a pleasurable, exciting, fleshy, complex, salty, kaleidoscopic wine. Excellent. Recommended. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. 2023-2037.
Tense and racy and tight – sort of Chassagne/St-Aubin border?! More obvious acid and tension than in the other Kumeu River Chardonnays. You could definitely enjoy it already if you liked a leaner style but it would benefit from further ageing ideally. 13.5%. Drink 2024 – 2036
The 2022 Hunting Hill has opened up beautifully in the last few months in bottle. Initially steely and tightly wound, the nose is now expressive with floral tones of fresh lime, confit lemon and peach, together with the struck match and savoury spice that adds such enticing complexity to this wine year on year. The palate is focused and acid-driven, piercing in its intensity and youthful in character, it is delicious now, though it will of course evolve and improve in bottle. Lightly creamy citrus fruit, phenolic structure and lime curd all come through, with an unerring saline undertone. There is such depth and underlying power here, the finish is expansive and shows more orchard fruit and spice. Very long, vertical and finely balanced, this is another outstanding Hunting Hill.
