Nautilus Pinot Noir Clay Hills Vineyard

Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero & Pinot Noir-based Blends

Nautilus Pinot Noir Clay Hills Vineyard

Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero & Pinot Noir-based Blends

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.

Wine Production

The fruit was hand-picked and chilled overnight before de-stemming to tank incorporating a 25% whole bunch component. After a 8 day cold soak the wine completed a spontaneous fermentation and remained on skins for a total of 16 days before pressing. After 24 hours settling, the wine was racked to 228 L French Oak barriques (33% new) and matured for 11 months before clarification and bottling.

Tasting Notes

This wine has aromas of blackberries, black cherries, toasted spices and savoury notes. The mid-palate shows fruit sweetness, while generous but fine-grained tannins contribute to a lingering elegant finish.

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.

Wine Production

The fruit was hand-picked and chilled overnight before de-stemming to tank incorporating a 25% whole bunch component. After a 8 day cold soak the wine completed a spontaneous fermentation and remained on skins for a total of 16 days before pressing. After 24 hours settling, the wine was racked to 228 L French Oak barriques (33% new) and matured for 11 months before clarification and bottling.

Tasting Notes

This wine has aromas of blackberries, black cherries, toasted spices and savoury notes. The mid-palate shows fruit sweetness, while generous but fine-grained tannins contribute to a lingering elegant finish.

Vineyard & Production Info

Vineyard name:
Clay Hills
Soil composition:
Clay
Training method:
VSP
Elevation:
395 feet
Vines/acre:
1333
Exposure:
Northern
Year vineyard planted:
1999
Harvest time:
April
First vintage of this wine:
2014
Certified Vineyards:
All vineyards certified under Sustainable winegrowing New Zealand
Certifying Organizations:
New Zealand Winegrowers
Sustainability Certification:
SWNZ

Winemaking & Aging

Prefermentation Technique:
Cold soak
Varietal composition:
100% Pinot Noir
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
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

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.75
Acidity:
5.3 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %

About the Vineyard

Nautilus Clay Hills Vineyard is located on the ridge that divides the Brancott and Omaka Valleys within the Southern Valleys sub region
of Marlborough. The vineyard is divided into 6 discrete blocks with
differing aspects and slopes and an elevation between 100 and 130 m. The vines are trained to a VSP trellis system with a mixture of cane and spur pruning, with a target yield of 1.5 - 2.0 kg per vine.