2021 Kumeu River ‘Rays Road’ Chardonnay Hawkes Bay New Zealand

VIN90 The 2021 Chardonnay Rays Road is bright, refreshing and almost salty. I’m even tempted to say mineral, it’s certainly not a fruity Chardonnay. The finish is lightly savory with fresh white pear and floral notes. There’s a sense of pithiness iand citrus line followed up with an almost chalky texture.
Estate Notes: With new clonal plantings of Chardonnay in their second year of production, we were able to blend some extra ripeness and richness with the fresh limestone vibrancy of the existing vines. The result is an exciting Rays Road Chardonnay showing white flowers and lemon on the nose, with rich texture and vibrant acidity on the palate.