Kumeu River Cremant

If anyone should be credited with the current situation and the fame enjoyed by New Zealand wine (which exports 90% of its production), it is the Croatian people. To be more precise, these settlers, known in the area as Dalmatians (a Croatian region on the Adriatic coast), were among those who developed this area’s winemaking tradition. Although most arrived looking for gold and kauri gum (in demand like varnish and other products), one group ended up cultivating vineyards and producing wines that were considered low quality by their English neighbours.

Not far from this version of events is the story of the Brajkovich’s, a Croatian family that arrived in New Zealand in 1937 and has managed to become one of the country’s leading wineries, with a large number of awards. Mick and Katé Brajkovich had cultivated small vineyards and made their own wine in their home country, and then set up Kumeu River, which is currently run by Michael, Marijana, Milan and Paul, the third generation and the grandchildren of this couple. Under their leadership, they have produced Kumeu River Cremant, a dry sparkling blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In general, cremants are sparkling wines that are made in the same way as champagne, but cannot be labeled as such because they are not produced within the A.O.C. Champagne. In principle (and according to the winery), this sparkling wine, made using the traditional method with secondary fermentation in the bottle, has managed to surprise everyone who has tasted it. If this is the case (it is best to test with a glass in hand), it is mainly down to the selection of grapes grown in the winery’s best vineyards. One of them is the Hawkes Bay vineyard on Rays Road in New Zealand's North Island, acquired in 2017 by the company and where the grapes for this sparkling wine are harvested. Different varieties are grown in this enclave. All of them grow at a high altitude, on limestone soils that retain water very well (with an average annual rainfall of 786 mm).

When making a cremant, the sparkling wine must meet certain fundamental requirements to be considered as such: manual harvesting, pressing of the whole clusters with limited extraction (100 litres of must for every 150 kg of grapes) and a minimum of 9 months of aging. Kumeu River Cremant meets all of these. The two fermentations, the first in stainless steel tanks (with native yeasts) and the second in the bottle, will give this sparkling wine its final touch. Living history of the New Zealand wine industry.