{"product_id":"kumeu-river-hunting-hill-vineyard-chardonnay-2025","title":"Kumeu River Hunting Hill Vineyard Chardonnay 2025","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"1036\" data-end=\"1849\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHunting Hill reaches its twentieth vintage as a standalone Kumeu River single-vineyard Chardonnay.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Kumeu River Hunting Hill Vineyard Chardonnay 2025 is a single-vineyard Chardonnay from Kumeu in the Auckland wine region of New Zealand. Hunting Hill was first planted in 1982 and originally formed an important component of Kumeu River’s Estate Chardonnay before being replanted around 2000. The vineyard occupies the slope overlooking Maté’s Vineyard and is known for producing ripe, concentrated Chardonnay with a distinctive mealy mineral character. The 2025 season was exceptionally dry, allowing the fruit to reach the winery in excellent condition while retaining the freshness and definition associated with the site. This release marks the twentieth vintage of Hunting Hill as a separate single-vineyard wine and combines greater 2025 richness with the vineyard’s characteristically focused structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"1851\" data-end=\"2519\"\u003eThe fruit was harvested by hand, whole-bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts entirely in French oak barrels. Full malolactic fermentation was followed by 11 months of maturation in barrel, building texture and complexity while preserving the wine’s firm mineral line. Aromatically, the wine shows white nectarine, citrus blossom, lime, white flowers and subtle oatmeal, spice and mineral notes. The palate is concentrated and silky, with peach and ripe lime supported by fine acidity, a light flinty grip and chalky tension. Floral, saline and crushed-stone characters give the wine additional definition before a long, tightly focused and mineral finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"2521\" data-end=\"2538\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2521\" data-end=\"2538\"\u003eTasting Notes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2540\" data-end=\"2548\"\u003eNOSE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2548\" data-end=\"2551\"\u003e – Floral, mineral and finely concentrated\u003cbr data-start=\"2592\" data-end=\"2595\"\u003e White nectarine, lemon-lime blossom, white flowers and ripe citrus with oatmeal, subtle spice, aniseed and rock-salt nuances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"2722\" data-end=\"2918\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2722\" data-end=\"2732\"\u003ePALATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2732\" data-end=\"2735\"\u003e – Concentrated, silky and precise\u003cbr data-start=\"2768\" data-end=\"2771\"\u003e Peach and ripe lime are carried by fine acidity, chalky texture and a light flinty grip, with restrained richness and excellent mineral definition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"2920\" data-end=\"3075\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2920\" data-end=\"2930\"\u003eFINISH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"2930\" data-end=\"2933\"\u003e – Long, taut and mineral\u003cbr data-start=\"2957\" data-end=\"2960\"\u003e Persistent citrus, crushed stone and saline notes finish with fine chalkiness, freshness and tightly coiled length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"3077\" data-end=\"3100\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3077\" data-end=\"3100\"\u003eReviews \u0026amp; Accolades\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Fabulous bouquet with a mineral centric seam – this is the 20th vintage. 2006 was the first release from 5yo vines, 25% new barrels, some new Francois Freres barrels now introduced – perhaps that's the difference. Dry, and wow! On the palate a wine of complexity and power. A completely complex wine with great length and power, freshness and style, the relationship between lees, oak and urgency of the vintage shows. Simply Outstanding.\"\u003c\/em\u003e — Cameron Douglas MS, 97 Points\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"3219\" data-end=\"3344\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Juiciness, gloss, but also finesse. White nectarine, oatmeal and bran, spice, a distinct aniseed note, a suggestion of rock salt with a honey and white flower perfume. It offers plenty of flavour, peach, ripe lime, something just nudging tropical fruit flavour, though not overt. It has fine acidity, a light flinty grip, and carries long and silky, with just a little chalkiness tightening up the finish. Superb.\"\u003c\/em\u003e — Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, 96 Points\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"3346\" data-end=\"3484\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"3346\" data-end=\"3435\"\u003e“Always the tightest wine at this stage, Hunting Hill's piercing precision is on show with notes of fresh lime juice, lime pith, steely struck match and citrus blossom. The palate has real acid cut, driving the fruit in a lifted, refreshing citrus tone. The texture is brilliant, chalky yet not narrow, this penetrating and tightly coiled wine needs a couple of years in bottle, but it will be an absolute knockout once ready. Lightly smoky with more struck match on the finish, this is a very impressive, youthful wine.”\u003c\/em\u003e — Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners, 96 Points\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"3617\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"3486\" data-end=\"3566\"\u003e“Floral and fragrant, with white blossoms and a touch of white pepper on top, joined by crushed stones and a hint of raw almond. Medium- to full-bodied and very textural, showing firmness, staying tense and vertical, with a beautiful interplay between the driving acidity and distinct minerality. Finishes stony and citrusy. Drink or hold.”\u003c\/em\u003e — James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, 96 Points\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"3619\" data-end=\"3774\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"3619\" data-end=\"3730\"\u003e“The 2025 Hunting Hill Chardonnay is ripe and thunderous, with salted peach, walnuts and stewed apple notes. This is flavorsome, opulent and impressively distinct from the Maté's tasted alongside—the vineyards are a stone's throw from each other. This is nettle-y, laden with apple skins and driven by fruit intensity. The acidity remains a concentrated and powerful player on stage here, as with all the Kumeu River cuvées. Drink 2026 - 2040”\u003c\/em\u003e — Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate, 94 Points\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" data-start=\"3776\" data-end=\"3951\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3776\" data-end=\"3794\"\u003eFiner Details:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"3794\" data-end=\"3797\"\u003e Brand - Kumeu River\u003cbr data-start=\"3816\" data-end=\"3819\"\u003e Style - White Wine\u003cbr data-start=\"3837\" data-end=\"3840\"\u003e Varietal - Chardonnay\u003cbr data-start=\"3861\" data-end=\"3864\"\u003e Country - New Zealand\u003cbr data-start=\"3885\" data-end=\"3888\"\u003e Region - Auckland\u003cbr data-start=\"3905\" data-end=\"3908\"\u003e Vintage - 2025\u003cbr data-start=\"3922\" data-end=\"3925\"\u003e ABV - 14%\u003cbr data-start=\"3936\" data-end=\"3939\"\u003e Size - 750ml\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kumeu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44386607235159,"sku":"KR-HUNTCH-25","price":119.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0043\/9258\/3217\/files\/840e6630-e89c-4ec4-8240-4f12c7451d93.png?v=1790823289","url":"https:\/\/kentstreetcellars.com.au\/products\/kumeu-river-hunting-hill-vineyard-chardonnay-2025","provider":"Kent Street Cellars","version":"1.0","type":"link"}