Nautilus Pinot Noir Southern Valleys

Nautilus Pinot Noir Southern Valleys

Wine Description

The natural beauty of the Nautilus shell has inspired our expressive, balanced, precisely crafted wines since 1985, the early days of Marlborough winegrowing.

Back then there were only 80 NZ wineries. Today there are nearly 700. Yet we remain small, family-owned, and committed to the stunningly beautiful Marlborough region.

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Acclaim
“The 2019 Southern Valleys Pinot Noir is concentrated and densely packed with flavor and tannin. The Southern Valleys are typified not only by the undulating hillside upon which the vineyards are perched but most notably by the soils, which are heavier and more loess dominant than the rocky river bed of the Wairau Valley. This gives the density and intensity that we see here, with hints of game and blood, strawberry, sour red cherry, some dried herbs and a hint of caper brine, plus cinnamon spice, to boot. Classy wine. These Southern Valleys Pinot are exciting because they achieve admirable tannin density and flavor ripeness at relatively low alcohol, lending them finesse and detail.” — Wine Advocate, Nov 2023
"A fragrant nose of cranberries, sour cherries, redcurrants, dried flowers and sweet spices. Medium body with crisp acidity and velvety tannins. Round and creamy with spicy character to the finish. Long and vibrant.”
— James Suckling, Oct 2021
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Clay-Loam
Training method
VSP
Elevation:
300 feet
Vines/acre:
133
Yield/acre:
2 tons
Exposure:
Northern
Year vineyard planted:
1999
Harvest time:
March
First vintage of this wine:
2014
Bottles produced of this wine:
2,400
Average Vine Age:
15
Certified Vineyards:
All vineyards certified under Sustainable winegrowing New Zealand
Certifying Organizations:
New Zealand Winegrowers
Sustainability Certification:
SWNZ
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Cold soak
Time on its skins:
20
Maceration length:
8
Varietal composition:
100% Pinot Noir
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
8 days
Fermentation temperature:
90 °F
Maceration technique:
Cold Soak Maceration and Punchdown
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
11 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.63
Acidity:
5.3 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
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Wine Production

Grapes were hand-picked and sorted to ensure pristine quality. Some whole berries and a whole bunch component were included in the ferment (10-20%) adding floral notes and fine tannins.

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About the Vineyard

Marlborough’s sheltered, sunny, cool climate is increasingly known for outstanding Pinot Noirs. Grapes are sourced from two vineyards in the Southern Valleys Subregion of Marlborough. These clay soil, hillside sites giving mid palate weight, concentrated plum flavours and firm fine-grained tannins.