Felton Road is located in Bannockburn, Central Otago in New Zealand – the world’s most southerly wine growing region. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling are produced from the estate’s 80 acres of vineyards, divided between three sites – The Elms Vineyard, Cornish Point Vineyard and Calvert Vineyard. All estate fruit is organic, handpicked and viticulture is Demeter certified biodynamic. Vinification is equally meticulous – the wines flow directly via gravity to barrel in Felton Road’s underground cellars, wild yeasts are used for fermentation, malolactic occurs naturally and fining and filtration are avoided if at all possible. Purity of expression is winemaker Blair Walter’s goal and his experience in Oregon and Burgundy has stood him in good stead. His wines offer richness, density, complexity and texture and are exceptionally clear expressions of varietal and place.

Tasting notes

The vintage shows a stronger mineral core than previous years, offering notes of schist and slate that are nicely offset by bright, deep notes of pear, stone fruit and sweet citrus.

Technical notes

Estate grapes from Calvert and The Elms Vineyards were whole bunch pressed, settled overnight, racked and fermented naturally to almost complete dryness. Aged sur lie for approximately four months, this wine offers its typical precision, minerality and tension.