Winemaking
Our aim is to produce exceptional quality Marlborough wines, that reflect our unique climate and environment. Close attention to crop levels and canopy management along, with a number of ‘picks’ within each block at different brix (sugar) levels during harvest, enables our winemaking team varied blending possibilities to create our premium wine.
Whites
Generally machine harvested, allowing us to pick exactly when we need to, the grapes are quickly pressed with minimal skin contact. After cool settling the juice is racked clear and fermented at roughly 10-12C depending on the yeast variety. A range of other techniques are also used including wild fermentation with indigenous yeasts and barrel ferment. Our Chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented while the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are all partial barrel fermented.
Red
The process for Pinot Noir is slightly different, the grapes are fermented together with the skins, extracting flavour and colour. We generally hand plunge to maintain contact between the skins and juice before pressing the wine into French oak barriques.
Fermentation onwards
Once fermentation and barrel maturation have been completed, blending takes place.
This critical part of the process involves deciding which barrels and tanks are worthy of our finished wines.
In particular our Sauvignon Blanc comes from a dozen different vineyard sites and the blending process contributes greatly to the complexity of the finished wine.
Following gentle filtration all our wines are estate bottled.
At the end of the winemaking process we aim to have wines that are aromatic, concentrated, complex and rewarding to all our consumers.
Whites
Generally machine harvested, allowing us to pick exactly when we need to, the grapes are quickly pressed with minimal skin contact. After cool settling the juice is racked clear and fermented at roughly 10-12C depending on the yeast variety. A range of other techniques are also used including wild fermentation with indigenous yeasts and barrel ferment. Our Chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented while the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are all partial barrel fermented.
Red
The process for Pinot Noir is slightly different, the grapes are fermented together with the skins, extracting flavour and colour. We generally hand plunge to maintain contact between the skins and juice before pressing the wine into French oak barriques.
Fermentation onwards
Once fermentation and barrel maturation have been completed, blending takes place.
This critical part of the process involves deciding which barrels and tanks are worthy of our finished wines.
In particular our Sauvignon Blanc comes from a dozen different vineyard sites and the blending process contributes greatly to the complexity of the finished wine.
Following gentle filtration all our wines are estate bottled.
At the end of the winemaking process we aim to have wines that are aromatic, concentrated, complex and rewarding to all our consumers.
