Chuck Hayward, JJ Buckley, January 2013

With a straw color and initially intense aromas of tropical fruits emanating from the glass, a bit of aeration adds some complex notes of sandstone minerality and citrus rind to the bouquet. Medium-full bodied with clean and bright flavors, the wine flows across the palate with youthful pineapple and mango notes. Despite the intensity, the well appointed acids helps to keep it from becoming dense or cloying, while also focusing the fruit. The intensity ratchets up a bit towards the backpalate, transitioning into a fruit filled finish which is supported by a fine layer of chalky minerals. With six years age, this is still a vibrant and youthful wine and clearly belies the fact that it underwent 100% barrel fermentation.

88 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, December 2012

This seems more advance with barley and caramel and sliced white peach and limes. Full and balanced with plenty of fruit. Open and decadent.

90 points,

Jancis Robinson, July 2010

Cool. Youthful, wet-wool sort of nose. Lovely fresh yet ripe fruit on the palate. A very nice package. Real pleasure for current drinking even if New World Chardonnay is, oddly, a category that relatively rarely seems to come my way at the moment. 17+/20

92 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, November 2010

There's an intense peach and butterscotch character on the nose with notes of lemon curd and honeysuckle plus a touch of ginger nut. Medium bodied with crisp acid and great concentration, it has a long finish. -LPB

90 points,

Wine Enthusiast, July 2010

Kumeu River's Estate bottling remains among the finest in New Zealand, beautifully balancing oak and fruit in an intricate ballet of toast, vanilla, melon and pineapple. It's full bodied and round in the mouth, with no harsh or discordant notes on the lingering finish.

92 points,

Wine Spectator, November 2009

#41 on Wine Spectator Top 100 (2009). Bright, tangy and elegant, this vibrant wine has grapefruit and pineapple flavors at the fore, picking up apple and spice as the finish lingers effortlessly. Drink now through 2017. -HS

Shipping Details

This item is in stock and ready to ship.

Get it tomorrow! Order by 6pm EST (3pm PST) today and select OVERNIGHT shipping.

Get it by Wednesday May 29! Order by 6pm EST (3pm PST) on Monday May 27 and select 2 Day shipping.

If you order by 6p EST today and request GROUND shipping your order will ship Monday May 27 and should arrive by Friday May 31.

Need it faster? Call us now at (888) 859-4637 for special arrangements.

Free storage available. We offer free 6 months storage for any wine purchased at JJ Buckley. We highly recommend storing your wines during the summer months to avoid heat damage during shipment.

For a shipping quote, add this product to your shopping cart. From there you will be able to enter a zipcode and get a detailed quote. For full details on our shipping policies, click here.