Kumeu River is my favourite producer of Chardonnay from New Zealand, and quite possibly, I would even go as far to say, in the Southern Hemisphere. The winemaker Michael Brajkovich was New Zealand’s first Master of Wine, and one of the country’s leading viticulturists. Kumeu River is located very close to Auckland and makes Chardonnay their speciality. These wines pay homage to Burgundy and it is fair to say that they are almost indistinguishable from their French counterparts, except for their own unique freshness and brightness.