Nautilus Chardonnay 2020
New Zealand, Wairau Valley
Description
The story of Nautilus Chardonnay begins in 1989 when the first wine was made from the Nautilus Renwick vineyard. Now, 31 years after that inaugural 1989 Nautilus Chardonnay release, our learnings have brought us to the point where we are fully confident in our winemaking and viticulture programme and house style.
Certifications
Alcohol
13.5%
Analytical data
dry
Vineyard
Fruit from our own Renwick vineyard has been blended with a small amount of Dijon clone 95 grown by Jim and Debbie Greer. These sites are stony and free draining, producing low yields, fantastic depth of flavour and mineral structure. Over forty per cent of the 2020 blend is now from new Burgundian clonal plantings in our Renwick vineyard which nicely complements our mature clone 15 on the same site.
Vinification
Handpicked grapes were chilled overnight before gentle pressing direct to barrel without settling. The wine was entirely barreled fermented in French oak barriques (20% new) using indigenous yeast. A short period of lees stirring post ferment adds a textural element to the palate.
Maturation
11 months in French oak