The Wine:

Tinto Joven; 96% Tempranillo, 2% Garnacha, and 2% Viura.
Rioja Alta, vineyards of Ábalos and San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
A blend of native varieties from our vineyards located in the Rioja Sonsierra region. The varieties combine to create a clear definition of a young, fresh, and fruity wine.

WINEMAKING:

Process: Carbonic maceration (whole bunch maceration). This allows us to transmit all the fruitiness of the grapes to this wine. Fermented at a controlled temperature (26º). The fermentation process proceeds normally and quickly. Natural stabilization and bottling.

The Producer:

Abeica is winery currently under the watch of the fourth generation - with the fifth already cutting their teeth. Do not for one second though assume that this historic connection bears the weight of conforming to brand Rioja.  During the 1990's the winery was successful at home and abroad. Growing year -on-year, buying in grapes from neighbouring properties to fuel their growth.  The four siblings, Isabel, Ricardo, Pachi and Raul decided to pull back from this and return to a true family project using only their own vines and their combined skills.  Vineyards are mainly clay-calcareous between 450-590 metres and enjoy the protection of the Sonsierra mountain range. Vintage employs the entire extended family to hand pick and bring in the harvest to the gravity-fed winery. Fermentation is generally whole bunch under carbonic maceration. There is a refreshing hands - off approach, letting nature do the work which leads to freshness across the range. It truly feels like Rioja with the light let in.

A ripe, succulent combination of 65% Chenin from a 40 year old Franschhoek vineyard and 35% Grenache Blanc from Paarl, both naturally fermented and aged 6 months in 2nd and 3rd fill 600 litre barrels.

PRODUCTION Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases. In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvees that are again selected to go into Coterie by Wildeberg. Chenin and Grenache Blanc complement each other well. Both varietals love the Coastal Region’s arid soils and Mediterranean climate due to their inherent tolerance to drought. Both components were naturally fermented in 600 litre French oak barrels. The Chenin is from an old, low-yielding Franschhoek vineyard planted in 1962 (65%). This brings freshness and tightness to the blend, the old vines also bring Wildeberg’s hallmark texture. The Grenache Blanc is from vibrant, younger plantings Paarl (35%), adding body and structure with this cultivars naturally exotic notes of jasmine and white spice. 65% 2nd fill and 35% 3rd fill barrels.

TASTING NOTE A ripe, open nose with white peach, apricots and hints of jasmine flowers. The palate shows texture and generosity from the old bush vine Chenin, veiled with white spice and exotic notes from the younger, alluring Grenache Blanc, the whole ultimately finishing rich, yet fresh and textural.

FOOD MATCH This is a rich, textural wine whose body and exotic jasmine notes would ably marry with gentle Malay and Thai green fish curries, dishes with lemongrass and coriander, or just simply braai-ed linefish

100% Chardonnay
Foot-crushed Chardonnay from Nelson fermented in tank then matured in ancient 500L barrels for 24 months
Grown on gravels and marine clay
Saline and textural this wine straddles the divide between new world and old world Chardonnay.

Felton Road winemaker Blair Walter and owner Nigel Greening (who bought the winery in 2000) are a formidable team producing elegant, powerful southern Pinots from their estate vineyards, all now organically and biodynamically certified. 

Tasting Notes:

Benefitting from gentle, northerly exposure, the mature vines of Block 6 channelled every minute of golden autumn sunlight into a wine of arresting vitality. Sensitive elevage has tempered the exuberant peach and grapefruit characters, allowing notes of brioche and hazelnut to add a sense of depth. A saline edge emerges on the finish as the fruit reaches its crescendo, at once both slaking and inspiring thirst. Complexity from simplicity.

Introduction:

 Commencing with meticulous site selection and vineyard design in 1991, Felton Road's story is one of refusal to compromise. A strict 100% estate policy with fully organic and biodynamic viticulture (BioGro and Demeter certified) ensures that our fruit arrives at the winery as pure as it can be, while our entire estate comes as close to true sustainability as is possible. The winery is also B Corp certified and a proud member of IWCA (International Wineries for Climate Action). A commitment to hands off winemaking: gravity flow, wild yeasts, wild malo, an avoidance of fining and filtration all help preserve the wine's expression of its terroir. The result is Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which accurately express the authenticity and complexity of our unique vineyards.

Vineyard & Viticulture:

 Felton Road farms four properties totalling 34 ha in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago. Chardonnay is mostly grown on the Elms vineyard in Blocks 2, 6, 8 & 9, with approximately 10% coming from each of Cornish Point and Calvert vineyards. There are a range of altitudes and aspects, with the soils mostly deep schist gravels. Meticulous summer management of a single vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy ensures even and early fruit maturity. Shoot thinning, shoot positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning and harvest are all carried out by hand to ensure optimum quality fruit. Cover crops are planted between rows to assist in vine balance and to improve soil health and general biodiversity

Vintage:

 After a wet September, spring commenced with good soil moisture and bud burst occurred at the normal time of early October. Temperatures hovered around average with December being warm and dry, enabling a successful flowering and fruit set. The dry conditions prevailed throughout January and February limiting berry size and setting the scene for fruit with elevated phenolic material and complexity. Judicious use of irrigation was required to maintain sufficient vine health throughout this sustained dry period. Temperatures never spiked and hovered around average enabling a slow and steady path to maturity. A distinctive feature of March 2024 was the cool night temperatures preserving acidity, freshness and precision of fruit character. Chardonnay was harvested from 18-27 March.

Vinification:

Predominantly Mendoza with some Dijon clone 95 Chardonnay from Block 6, was whole bunch pressed, settled overnight and flowed by gravity to barrel in the underground cellar. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in seasoned French oak (no new oak) was followed by a long and complete malolactic over the spring and summer. After 17 months in barrel (11 months on gross lees) the wine was racked carefully to tank for bottling in late-August 2025. The wine was not fined or filtered.

"The palate has an appealing plump roundness with peachy flavours and textures. I like that there is a bit of tightness in the mid palate with a finish which is a little crisp and saline as well as being nice and dry. Lighter, textured dry white wines are super versatile when it comes to food or indeed as a stand alone drink or two after a hard day doing life."  - Luna estate

This off-dry Pinot Blanc is aromatic and pleases the senses with layer of jasmine, pear, and gentle vanilla spice. Extended time on lees, combined with a little sweetness adds richness and complexity to the mouthfeel that still leave a refreshing finish

This wine is named after Lantignié, where Alexandre Burgaud is based, located to the west of the famous Morgon Cru in Beaujolais. He owns just five hectares and the vines have an average age over 60.

This is a bright, vibrant Gamay with moderate acidity and soft tannins, cherry and raspberry flavours and a pleasant finish.

Grape 100% Gamay

An alluring bouquet of wild strawberries and cream with a touch of spice, followed by delicate cranberry, ruby grapefruit and and a hint of shortbread.  Vibrant, focused and beautifully balanced. 

Vineyard This wine is from our BioGro certified organic and Demeter certified biodynamic estate vineyard located in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago. The vineyard was planted in 1998 after careful site selection and is the pioneer vineyard in Bendigo New Zealand. The soils on the beautiful north facing slope are Waenga fine sandy loam and Molyneux shallow sandy loam soils. The Pinot Noir clones 10/5 and 5 have been used for the production of this Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wine. Planted with a vine density of 3,800 vines per hectare on 44.55° south. 

Cuvee 100% Pinot Noir, hand-picked on the 8th March 2022 in ideal condition. Bottle fermented and aged on lees for a minimum of 24 months. Riddled and disgorged by hand at Quartz Reef.

94/100: "Delicious, fresh, crisp and dry with a core bouquet of strawberry and fruit spice, fresh brioche and cherry, there’s a lees and miso moment, apple and floral complexity. Dry, salivating, crisp and dry with a firm mousse, finesse and charm and flavours that reflect the bouquet. A lovely example, well made, lengthy and fine. Great drinking from day of purchase through 2029." Cameron Douglas 2023 

5 Stars: “The distinctive, non-vintage wine (5*) I tasted in mid 2021 was estate-grown and hand-picked at Bendigo, in Central Otago. Made entirely from Pinot Noir, it is pink/red, with strong peach, strawberry and spice flavours, yeasty, dry (2 grams/litre of residual sugar) and lingering. A very harmonious wine, it shows excellent maturity.” By Michael Cooper, NZ Wines (Aug 21) 

WINEMAKING NOTES
This wine was made from grapes grown on the stony and sandy terrace of the vineyard. The grapes were fermented in open top tanks with inoculated yeast.  Gentle hand plunging was used for extraction, and the wine was then held on skins for an extended period of 4 weeks of post ferment maceration. The wine was then pressed and racked to French oak barriques where it was aged for 12 months. The final blend has a 30% new oak component and 30% second fill.

ANALYSIS
pH 3.69
TA 5.6g/l
Alcohol 13.0%

TASTING NOTES
A fragrant medley of crushed red berry fruits fills the nose, accompanied by scented oak spice, sweet vanillan notes and infused with delicate dried wild herbs. Juicy, concentrated, and full of bright raspberry and cherry fruit flavours, the palate is fleshy and textural, but well balanced with vibrant acidity and fruit sweetness, to give a long and expressive finish.

AWARDS
Silver Regional Aotearoa Wine Competition

A razor-sharp Riesling that keeps its cards close to its chest. Flint and citrus peel edge around a core of dry, chiselled fruit, while subtle spice lingers in the background. Brisk acidity slices through, creating a taut, electric structure. Beneath it all, the first whispers of smoky sweetness and mellow honey hint at what’s to come. It wraps up with a firm, grippy finish that leaves a lasting impression.

Tasting Note

A little shy on first reveal, but then the deeply bound fruit and complexing aromatics begin to unfold. Powerful, deep and saturating – what we have come to expect from MacMuir. The unmistakeable Felton Road winemaking hand contains the package allowing it to gradually deliver, exposing layer upon layer. The site is special – a hedonistic wine that’s brooding, formidable and unique. I

ntroduction 

Commencing with meticulous site selection and vineyard design in 1991, Felton Road's story is one of refusal to compromise. A strict 100% estate policy with fully organic and biodynamic viticulture (BioGro and Demeter certified) ensures that our fruit arrives at the winery as pure as it can be, while our entire estate comes as close to true sustainability as is possible. The winery is also B Corp certified and a proud member of IWCA (International Wineries for Climate Action). A commitment to hands off winemaking: gravity flow, wild yeasts, wild malo, an avoidance of fining and filtration all help preserve the wine's expression of its terroir. The result is Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which accurately express the authenticity and complexity of our unique vineyards.  

Gareth King; Viticulturist, Blair Walter; Winemaker, Nigel Greening; Vigneron. 

Vineyard & Viticulture

Felton Road farms four properties totalling 34 ha in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago. This wine is from MacMuir vineyard which is just 1 km east of the Elms vineyard and winery, and just 300m west of Calvert. The vineyard possesses a higher vine density, a diverse range of clones and deep, heavy silt soils. Meticulous summer management of a single vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy ensures even and early fruit maturity. Shoot thinning, shoot positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning and harvest are all carried out by hand to ensure optimum quality fruit. Cover crops are planted between rows to assist in vine balance and to improve soil health and general biodiversity. 

Vintage After a wet September, spring commenced with good soil moisture and bud burst occurred at the normal time of early October. Temperatures hovered around average with December being warm and dry, enabling a successful flowering and fruit set. The dry conditions prevailed throughout January and February limiting berry size and setting the scene for fruit with elevated phenolic material and complexity. Judicious use of irrigation was required to maintain sufficient vine health throughout this sustained dry period. Temperatures never spiked and hovered around average enabling a slow and steady path to maturity. A distinctive feature of March 2024 was the cool night temperatures preserving acidity, freshness and precision of fruit character. Pinot Noir was harvested from 19 March to 9 April.

Vinification  The unique gravity flow winery enabled the grapes to be gently destemmed directly into open-top fermenters without pumping, retaining 30% as whole clusters. Traditional fermentation with a moderately long maceration on skins has extracted good colour and tannin with considerable depth of flavour. This wine was aged for 13 months in 20% new French oak barrels from artisan Burgundian coopers. In accordance with our non-interventionalist approach to winemaking, this wine was fermented with indigenous yeast and malolactic, and was not fined or filtered.