Michael Brajkovich

The Path

Cellar work in wine often rewards attention before it rewards volume. Michael Brajkovich built that habit early: Roseworthy College (studied Oenology; Dux in 1981) sat alongside responsibility for wine production at Kumeu River in Kumeu, Auckland region, North Island, New Zealand (from 1982). The two tracks gave the work a clear structure from the start, with training and practice advancing together rather than in sequence. An international frame came next. From 1983, Brajkovich also worked with Christian Moueix at a winery in Bordeaux, France, adding another working context to his formation. The value of that period sits in the directness of the role: production as daily discipline, and the practical knowledge that comes from seeing how another cellar is run. Today, Michael is winemaker of Kumeu River.

The Work Today

The work is not distanced from the cellar; it remains tied to the routines, timing, and judgement that define production on the ground. Chardonnay is the central variety, and Brajkovich’s preferred way of working matches its demands: quiet in the cellar, especially during barrel fermentation and MLF. In that setting, silence functions as a practical tool. It leaves room to hear what is changing, to read the process without crowding it, and to respond with restraint rather than noise. Kumeu River Wines in Kumeu, New Zealand, remains the fixed point, with Chardonnay at the center of the range. Brajkovich’s language around the work is spare because the method is spare: listen, observe, intervene only as needed. That is a cellar discipline as much as a style preference.

Signature

Michael's signature wines include Maté's Vineyard and Rays Road Chardonnay.

In Their Words “I really prefer silence in the cellar so I can listen and hear what’s going on, particularly during barrel fermentation and MLF.”

Acclaim

Michael Brajkovich has received Institute of Masters of Wine, 2024 Winemakers' Winemaker (2024). Recognition for Brajkovich includes Fellow of New Zealand Winegrowers (2024), Winemakers' Winemaker (2024), and Master of Wine (1989).