Kumeu River Estate Pinot Gris 2016

Drink now through to 2024.
Serve well chilled.

A heady perfume of white peaches, candied apricots and delicate honeysuckle delights the nose, while the palate boasts citrusy freshness, a creamy texture and hints of honeycomb and ginger. Rich and round in style, this Kumeu River Pinot Gris is sure to impress fans of luscious French Viogniers looking for a versatile gastronomic wine. Pairings with Asian-inspired spicy prawn dishes work particularly well since the Pinot Gris can handle both the heat of the chilli and the succulent sweetness of fresh seafood.

Kumeu River winery has a well-established reputation for producing some of New Zealand’s finest Burgundy-style Chardonnays, but the climatic conditions here also suit other early-ripening varieties like Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir thanks to the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The potential of this site was first spotted by the winery’s founders, Mick and Katé Brajkovich who moved to New Zealand from their small village in Croatia in 1937. After years of hard work and saving, the couple finally managed to purchase their own winery in Kumeu in 1944.

Since those humble beginnings the Brajkovichs have established themselves as one of the founding families of the New Zealand wine industry. Today the winery is run by Mick and Katé’s grandchildren with the continued involvement of the couple’s daughter-in-law, Melba, who acts as Managing Director. In 2014 Melba was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition for her extensive contribution to the country’s wine industry.