Nautilus has been at the vanguard of Pinot Noir winemaking in Marlborough for over twenty four years, since crafting its first Pinot Noir in 1997. Early plantings of Dijon clones and experimenting with single clone/single site trials led to a rapid appreciation of the potential for this variety in the region. Each year we release a limited pack to share with our costumers, this year…
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Category Archives: winemaking
A Charming Trio
Tags: clive jones, Marlborough, Pinot Noir, Vineyards, Vintage, wines
Three Decades of Nautilus Chardonnay
The story of Nautilus Chardonnay begins in 1989 when the first wine was made from what is now our own Nautilus Renwick vineyard (you know the classic story – we liked the wine so much, we had to buy the vineyard). This vineyard has remained the cornerstone vineyard for our Chardonnay programme ever since. Throughout the ’90s, Chardonnay grew to be a significant and successful part of the Nautilus…
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Tags: Chardonnay, clive jones, Marlborough, new zealand, Vineyards, Vintage, wine, winemaking
Vintage Report 2020
A few cool nights in early spring had us concerned about potential frost damage but none eventuated and a settled period during flowering resulted in a solid crop being set. Rains in November & December kept the soil moisture levels up and while January and February were warm and dry, we had sufficient water to get through the season. We began harvest on the 20th…
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Tags: harvest, Marlborough, New Zealand Wine, Vintage 2020
Vintage Report 2019
Vintage report 2019 The 2019 season started well with no significant frost issues and reasonable spring rains to develop healthy canopies. Some cool weather during flowering affected the bunch size of some varieties – particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – and as a result, crops were naturally slightly down. January and February were then extremely dry with virtually no rainfall for two months and warmer…
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Tags: Marlborough, Vineyards, Vintage
The Paper Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc
The beautiful and mysterious Paper Nautilus is rarely seen in the open ocean but occasionally washes up on secluded beaches around the Marlborough Sounds. With its paper-like shells, its delicate geometry and feather-weight texture, this distant cousin of the Nautilus in our logo has become the inspiration for a new direction of Sauvignon Blanc winemaking for the Nautilus team. 30 years’ experience has led us…
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An Exquisite Rose
Fantastic sparkling wine has always been an important part of our winemaking at Nautilus Estate, winning many awards and trophies. Making sparkling wines is a more complex process than traditional still wines but one that we have learned a lot about over the years. One of the distinguishing characteristics of our renowned Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut NV is that it is a Pinot Noir dominant…
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Tags: Rose
View From the Top
We began making Nautilus Marlborough Chardonnay in 1989 buying grapes from a vineyard in Renwick. The fruit held such promise we bought the vineyard shortly afterward. Despite this early potential, it was undoubtedly a challenging beginning for Chardonnay in our portfolio. We struggled with inferior clonal selection, high yields and faulty corks – you name it. So in the late 90’s we decided to…
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Tags: Chardonnay, clive jones, Marlborough, renwick, Vineyards, Vintage, winemaking, wines
Vintage Report 2017
There is no doubt that 2017 was a year where we had to push things to the limits to make the best possible wines, and the experience of the crew really paid off. In a good year anyone can make good wines, however the more challenging years can be just as rewarding for a quality-focused producer and we are very proud of the wines we…
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Tags: Marlborough, New Zealand wines, Vintage, wines
The Dark Horse
For the past 30 years, Sauvignon Blanc has been the undisputed heavyweight of the Marlborough wine region, but in recent years another varietal, Pinot Noir, has quietly been building a following of its own. With a market share that’s growing steadily, it seems the voice of Marlborough Pinot Noir is finally being heard. The New Zealand regions most often associated with Pinot Noir are…
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