2023 Kumeu River "Rays Road" Chardonnay, Kumeu, New ZealandABOUT THIS WINE The 2023 vintage in Hawkes Bay was affected by cyclone Gabrielle and Rays Road was lucky to be at 180 meters elevation to avoid any flooding. The vintage was still tricky however with cooler temperatures and less ripeness that usual. Rays Road is one of Kumeu River's 4 single vineyard Chardonnays. This Chardonnay was hand harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels to give a wine that is

no oak ageing

they collaborated with the oenologist Ioanna Vamvakoudi for the creation of Mikra Thira

the mayor of Prepotto

Plots of Garnacha

Their 16 hectares of organic vineyards are concentrated in the hamlet of Crept

Very pleasant sensation of freshness and oaky notes

so we kept the Gemini labels

settled in their home villages

avoiding all synthetic inputs and working in tune with the lunar calendar for key vineyard and cellar operations

The family extends their natural approach to their vines in the cellar as well

But they do have old vines

Schlossberg