The newest Kumeu vineyard, located on a limestone-strewn site in Hawke's Bay, Ray's Road offers a combo of roasted chestnut and toffee notes with preserved lemon, salted guava and white grapefruit nuances. Lively acidity cuts through those toastier, nuttier nuances. Seems heavier on style than on site expression, but is nevertheless a lovely wine with tension, depth and aging potential, right through to 2033. — Christina Pickard

Taut and lean, there is a subtle, yet noticeable layer of new oak, a feature that I haven’t seen in previous vintages. Brajkovich explained he chose to introduce some new oak in 2023, with part of the blend aged in the barrels from the tonnellerie favoured by Dauvissat. Oyster shell and yellow grapefruit with a strong acid spine.The chalky texture is very attractive.

The Ray's Road vineyard is in Hawke's Bay, southeast of Auckland, on a north-facing slope at 180 meters above sea level. It is planted on limestone and dry-grown. The 2023 Rays Road Chardonnay is reductive, nutty and saline, with green inflections that highlight the solids in the wine. This is the most complex of the wines in this release, with curry leaf and saffron, sugar snap peas, green apple and caper brine in profusion, yet I feel it is also the most angular and the most obvious. Those seeking intensity of flavor will be attracted to this cuvée the most, for its intensity and depth, however it lacks the quiet focus of the other wines. 12.8% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.- EL