KUMEU RIVER RAYS ROAD CHARDONNAY 2024

Winemakers Highlights

Hand harvested
Whole-bunch pressed
Indigenous yeast fermentation
100% barrel fermentation
French Oak
100% malo-lactic fermentation
11 months maturation in barrel  

Rays Road is Kumeu River’s vineyard site in Hawkes Bay that was purchased in 2017. This limestone hillside is at 180 m altitude, with a northerly aspect. It is dry-farmed to yield high quality grapes for wine under the Rays Road name for our Kumeu River label. This Chardonnay was hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in older French Oak barrels to give a wine that is zesty and fragrant, with mineral complexity that is very true to its site. 

The 2024 vintage in Hawkes Bay was excellent even though yields were down to 50% of usual. We have seen dramatic improvement from this vineyard each year since we bought it in 2017. The ripeness and richness from 2024 has given us a Rays Road Chardonnay with more depth and texture than we have seen over the last few years . This is another step up again from the 2023 Rays Road Chardonnay. The aromas are peachier this year although the distinctive flint, and zesty limestone characters are still there. The palate is showing more density and concentration than previous vintages and this is setting up to be a very fine Chardonnay vineyard. For the first time with Rays Road this feels like it needs bottle age. We are looking forward to following its development while consuming many bottles in the process!