BRAJKOVICH VINEYARDS

Kumeu River Principals

Kumeu River Wines was established in 1944 when Mick and Katé Brajkovich and their son Maté first came to the small country settlement of Kumeu, about 20 km northwest of Auckland City. Mick Brajkovich died in 1949, but Maté and Katé continued to tend the vines, make the wine and build the reputation of this fledgling wine company. In 1958 Maté married Melba Sutich from Dargaville, whose antecedents also came from the Dalmatian coast.

Maté Brajkovich was a prominent figure in the New Zealand wine industry. He was heavily involved in wine industry organisations throughout his life and served as chairman of the Wine Institute of New Zealand from 1982-1985. In 1987 he was made a Fellow of the Institute, and in 1990 he was the New Zealand patron at the New World Wine Auction held in South Africa.

Maté passed away in 1992, and the vineyard is now run by his wife Melba and their three sons: Michael, Milan and Paul.

Melba Brajkovich

Managing Director, Kumeu River Wines

Melba graduated from Teacher's Training College in 1957. After a year as a primary school teacher, Melba married Maté Brajkovich and gave up her teaching career to assist Maté in his fledgling wine business, then known as San Marino Vineyards.

Melba looked after staff, sales and the accounting functions and was mainly responsible for administration of the business. Maté was involved primarily with the vineyards and wine production ans was also the front man and "face" of San Marino Vineyards. He was also a founding member of the executive of the Wine Institute of New Zealand, and its chairman for three years in the 1980's. Wine Industry business often meant that he was absent from the winery, and it was up to Melba to fill the gap.

Since Maté's death in 1992, Melba has taken on the role of Managing Director at Kumeu River Wines and has overall responsibility for the vineyard and winery operations.

Michael Brajkovich, M.W.

Winemaker, Kumeu River Wines

After studying Oenology at Roseworthy College in South Australia where he was Dux in 1981, Michael returned to the family vineyard and winery in Kumeu to take up responsibility for wine production. Since then he has travelled extensively through the world's wine areas and had the opportunity to spend the 1983 vintage in France with the reputed house of Jean Pierre Moueix in Libourne, near Bordeaux.

Based on this experience, a new range of wines was developed under the "Kumeu River" label, including a Sauvignon/Semillon blend and a Merlot Cabernet. It is the Chardonnay that has enjoyed the greatest critical acclaim and success in international markets, particularly in the United States. The "Wine Spectator" magazine has placed Kumeu River Chardonnay in its annual list of the top 100 wines on five occasions. In 1996, the Kumeu River Chardonnay 1994 was ranked at Number 6.

In 1989, Michael passed the Examination and became New Zealand's first member of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine, London. He has many years experience in judging at the New Zealand National Wine Awards, and also has judged at the Australian National Capital Wine Show in Canberra, the Royal Hobart Wine Show in Tasmania and at the Perth Royal Wine Show.

Milan Brajkovich

Vineyard Director, Kumeu River Wines

After qualifying with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Auckland University in 1984, Milan took a job with the New Zealand Dairy Board on their postgraduate programme and was involved with research in cheese production.

In 1985. Milan returned to Kumeu River Wines and took over the task of managing the vineyards as well as redeveloping the winery's pressing and crushing facilities. He has been responsible adapting the vineyard machinery for vine management using the "Lyre" or "U" trellis system, which optimises the fruit ripening regime.

In 1987, Milan travelled to Europe and spent a vintage season in Pomerol, near Bordeaux, with Etablissments JP Moueix. He worked at Château Gazin, which is situated alongside the more famous property of Château Petrus.

Milan is now in charge of 25 hectares of vines in Kumeu and consults to several local grape growers who supply grapes to Kumeu River.

Paul Brajkovich

Marketing Director, Kumeu River Wines

Paul graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Auckland University in 1990. While Paul was at University, he worked for Kumeu River Wines part-time and was involved in sales and marketing. This included taking a trip with Michael to the London Wine Trade Fair in 1988 which was Kumeu River's first step into the international wine market.

It was at this trade fair that Michael and Paul met Win Wilson and Jack Daniels of United States distributors Wilson Daniels Limited, who have become Kumeu River's largest export customer. This trip also included an educational tour of several important wine regions of France including Bordeaux, Cognac, Burgundy and Champagne.

In 1990, Paul travelled again to England after graduation to work with Kumeu River's United Kingdom agent Boxford Wine Company, and also to play a season of cricket with the Finchley Cricket Club in North London.

Paul is now in charge of Marketing and Export for Kumeu River.