2025 Kumeu River Village Pinot Noir, Hawkes Bay

Lush red fruit comes through with a savory edge, dried orange peel and spices. Medium-bodied, soft in texture and open, with a juicy flow and a subtle finish carrying dried flowers and citrus peel. Rhubarb. Drink now.

91 points James Suckling, August 2026

The 2025 Village Pinot Noir leads with poached strawberry and mulberry jam, sweet paprika and cranberry. The palate is creamy, with notes of milk chocolate and licorice, poached plums and tapenade. The palate is uncomplicated and spicy, with more intensity than it looks like it would have (it's quite light in the glass) and moderate length. The fruit is from the Hawke's Bay vineyard.

89 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, September 2026

The Kumeu Village Pinot Noir is the red introduction to the impressive Kumeu River offer of Burgundian grape varieties.

Kumeu River's love of Pinot Noir dates to the mid-1980s Fruit comes from the estate’s Kumeu vineyards as well as the Rays Road vineyard in Hawkes Bay which was purchased in 2017. The soils in the latter are wind-blown clay loess over limestone and quite different from Kumeu's clay over sandstone. The Village wine comes from parcels that were not selected for the Rays Road single vineyard bottling, and the outstanding fruit in 2025 means that there is real character in every bottle.

Hand harvested, destemmed, wild yeast fermented with twice-daily pump-overs and seven months in tank. No oak, as the intention is pure, fresh fruit expression.

Bright cherry red in colour, the nose is lifted and perfumed with red cherry, strawberry, rose petal and a subtle earthy spice. The palate is light to medium-bodied and refreshing with fine chalky tannins, lively acidity and a clean, dry finish.

This would be delicious with a slight chill on a warm evening. It would sit nicely along quite an array of dished from seared salmon to grilled chicken, or maybe a mushroom risotto.

Enjoy this wine in its youth.