Kumeu River Winery Winery

At Kumeu River Wines our winemaking philosophy is simple. We endeavour to grow grapes of the highest standard and then treat them with respect when we turn them into wine. In this way the potential quality is maximised, and we are able to produce wines that are truly representative of our land. To this end our vineyards are trained on the “Lyre” trellis to optimise their exposure to light and therefore the ripeness of the grapes. Yields are kept low to improve the concentration of aromas and flavours in the grapes, and we harvest all of our grapes by hand. This allows us to remove faulty berries in the field so that our quality grapes may arrive at the winery in pristine condition. The white grapes are all whole-bunch pressed, which is time-consuming but gives us the best quality results. The reds are destemmed and crushed gently before being transferred to fermentation tanks. No yeasts are added, as we rely solely on the indigenous yeasts that are present in the vineyard to conduct our fermentations. Oak barrels from France play a significant, but never dominant, role in our “Kumeu River” range of wines. The white wines such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon undergo fermentation in barrels, and the flavour nuances that are derived from this phase are crucial to these fine wine styles. The red wines such as Merlot and Pinot Noir are fermented for a prolonged period in stainless steel tanks, but they are also later matured in oak barrels to promote the development of bouquet and to soften the tannin structure of the palate. These are wines of great flavour intensity and complexity, but also with subtlety and elegance, and the potential to develop with further age. We promote the malo-lactic fermentation in both our red and white wines. This bacterial transformation reduces and softens the acidity, and rounds out and complexes the flavour. The result is a much better acid balance and improved drinkability. It has been said many times that good winemaking is as much an art as a science. At Kumeu River Wines we place great importance on both of these factors. Without sound scientific knowledge, winemaking becomes haphazard and risky. Without art, the wines may be technically sound, but often dull and boring to drink. The Brajkovich Family is committed to ensuring that all of our wines are not only properly and correctly produced, but also possessing characters of aroma and flavour that give our customers a great deal of drinking pleasure.

 



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