Nautilus Pinot Noir Clay Hills Vineyard

Nautilus Pinot Noir Clay Hills Vineyard

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
"Aromas of cherries, forest wood and baking spices. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity and sleek tannins. Layered, with a velvety texture. Slightly chewy and austere with a savory finish."
— James Suckling, Oct 2021
“Lovely depth of ripe red berry fruit with complex spice, old flowers and leafy undertones. Multi-layered complexity on the palate with gentle fruit extraction.”
— Decanter World Wine Awards, Jun 2022
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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
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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
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.75
Acidity:
5.3 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
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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.

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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.