Kumeu River Rays Road Chardonnay 2025
Hawke's Bay
New Zealand, New Zealand
Regular price£136.32
/
Arriving: October 2026
Shipping duty paid to Mainland UK is charged at a flat rate of £9.99 per consignment and POA for Northern Ireland or Islands.
Shipping under bond is dependant on location, but starts at £15 per consignment.
| Style: White | Packaging: OCC |
| ABV: 13.5% | Closure: Screw cap |
| Organic: | Drink from: 2026 |
| Biodynamic: | Drink to: 2040 |
| Grapes: 100% Chardonnay | |
Critic scores
94 RP, 96 JS, 17+ JR
Critic reviews
"The 2025 Rays Road Chardonnay comes from the Hawke's Bay vineyard, and the nose leads with creamed cashew, white peach, citrus pith and salted caper brine. The palate is creamy and sleek, with bright acidity and talcy phenolics through the open-weave finish. There's a lot of unspent power here—it feels raw and unbridled somehow. This is impressive and quite different from the other cuvées, though it continues to bear the hallmarks of the Kumeu River house style. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap."
Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com
"Aromas of crushed stone and flint with subtle apple and transparency on the nose. Medium-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and a long, tangy finish. Vibrant and vivid chardonnay. Drink now. Screw cap."
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"Made like the Estate Chardonnay except that there may have been one or two new barrels. Nothing but their own newish plantings (from 2018) of Chardonnay now in this bottling, so no clone 95, just clone 15, 548 and perhaps a little Mendoza. Next year they’ll release a single-parcel Hawke’s Bay bottling that’s not yet named and this will be followed by a second parcel bottling the following year. Tight, introvert nose – quite steely. Sleek and fresh with an obvious, though mild, oak corset. Quite structured. Lots to chew on and a little bit of passion-fruit flavour."
Jancis Robinson, September 2026, JancisRobinson.com
Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com
"Aromas of crushed stone and flint with subtle apple and transparency on the nose. Medium-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and a long, tangy finish. Vibrant and vivid chardonnay. Drink now. Screw cap."
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"Made like the Estate Chardonnay except that there may have been one or two new barrels. Nothing but their own newish plantings (from 2018) of Chardonnay now in this bottling, so no clone 95, just clone 15, 548 and perhaps a little Mendoza. Next year they’ll release a single-parcel Hawke’s Bay bottling that’s not yet named and this will be followed by a second parcel bottling the following year. Tight, introvert nose – quite steely. Sleek and fresh with an obvious, though mild, oak corset. Quite structured. Lots to chew on and a little bit of passion-fruit flavour."
Jancis Robinson, September 2026, JancisRobinson.com