In Bond Fine Wine. 2024 Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay, Kumeu, New Zealand. White new zealand - white in 6x75cl. Top critic score: 95/100 (RG). Drinking window: 2025–2040. Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
From flinty, clay soils. "Wines from Hunting Hill are more citrus, linear and steely than the other, peachier Kumeu River Chardonnays." Jancis Robinson Kumeu River is one of New Zealand’s benchmark producers and has earned a worldwide reputation for Chardonnays that regularly draw comparisons with top white Burgundy. Founded by the Brajkovich family, the estate combines cool-climate vineyards with Burgundian inspired winemaking to produce wines of remarkable purity, freshness and longevity. Chardonnay is the star, from the superb value Village and Estate Chardonnay through to the single vineyard Coddington, Hunting Hill and much feted Maté’s Vineyard. The range also includes elegant, cool-climate Pinot Noir, with an emphasis throughout on balance, precision and expression of site. The 2024 vintage is a particular highlight - small in quantity but exceptional in quality, producing beauti…
Jancis Robinson MW (JR) — 17.5/20 · JancisRobinson.com, 2026-09-18 · Drink 2026-2038
Similar summer to 2025 but flowering weather was dodgy so the crop was down 30% and the fruit denser. Already some evolution on the nose and quite intense. The palate has already developed some floral notes. Creamy texture and then lots of crisp acidity on the finish. Quite long.
Rebecca Gibb MW (RGM) — 95/100 · Vinous, 2026-02-01 · Drink 2026 - 2040
The 2024 Chardonnay Hunting Hill combines concentration with an airy lightness. It curves around the mouth with a sense of surety, but it’s not at all heavy. Understated, restrained melon and pear fruit feature integrated nutty oak characters. Precise, intense and textured.
Erin Larkin (EL) — 93–95/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com, 2025-06-05 · Drink 2025 - 2039
The 2024 Hunting Hill Chardonnay is the ripest in alcohol of the 2024 releases, and it feels powerfully layered and driven on the palate. This is rich, almost thunderous in its positioning, with salted citrus and exotic spices (star anise/fennel/scraped vanilla pod). The oak here is polished and elegant, smoothing down any stray, loose hairs. The barrels have been air dried for three years and li…