Nautilus Pinot Noir Southern Valleys

Nautilus Marlborough Southern Valleys Pinot Noir bottle image

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.

accordion plus icons
Acclaim
"From estate vineyards on the clay soils of the southern hills and alluvial soils in the valleys, this is fermented with a small amount of whole bunches and without added yeast after a week-long cold soak. It’s bright and spicy, a fresh pinot with a lively feel—a long line drive of strawberry flavor with brisk tannins keeping it aloft. Tightly focused and tart, this is a wine that’s easy to drink in quantity, with depth of flavor that will hold your interest."
— Wine & Spirits, Feb 2017
"Fleshy and juicy, with plum, cherry and wild raspberry flavors that mingle with aromatic notes of forest floor, tomato leaf and dried lavender. Intense, gaining momentum on the finish."
— Wine Spectator, Oct 2016
View more acclaim Arrow Right
accordion plus icons
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
accordion plus icons
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
accordion plus icons
Analytical Data
No relevant data were found.
accordion plus icons
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.

accordion plus icons
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. Very low crops of 1-2kg per vine give concentration and balance to the wine, while the blend of sites and clones ensures complexity.