Tasting Note A potpourri of dark petals and Indian spices dominate the inviting bouquet. Dark and deep fruit on the palate is amply supported by complexing savoury and earthy notes. It’s not just fruit, there’s so much more contributing. This is our diverse four vineyards coming together to superbly express the classic character of Bannockburn: black cherry fruit notes and silky, chocolate laden tannins. 

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.  

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 a blend from our four vineyards; Cornish Point, Calvert, MacMuir and The Elms. 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 20% 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.

Established in 1864 by Jean Désiré Féraud, Monte Christo is the birthplace of Central Otago wine. Our wines are made with 100% estate-grown fruit sourced from our vineyards across three distinct sub-regions, the Alexandra Basin, Bannockburn and Pisa. Utilising sustainable farming practices and minimal intervention methods in the winery, the outcome is elegant, refined, and impeccably balanced wines epitomising the terroir of Central Otago.

Tasting note Dry, medium-bodied and luscious, with pronounced notes of fresh yellow apple and pear, white peach, melon and honeysuckle.

VINEYARDS

Vineyard: Davishon (69%)

Subregion: Alexandra Basin 

Elevation: 160m 

Clone(s): 6, Mystery clone 

Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand, silt and gravels derived from schist and sandstone 

WINEMAKING

Brix: 22.3

Fermentation: 80% stainless steel and 20% neutral French oak

Aging: Four months in stainless steel Cases

A Central Otago Pinot Noir from New Zealand cricketing legend, Ross Taylor. This one is named after Ross Taylor's highest test score of 290, scored at the WACA in Perth on November 16, 2015.

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) 

Stunning Pinot Noir from Waitaki Valley in North Otago, New Zealand.

Tasting Note: Intense aromas of blueberries, cherry and spices. Floral, herbal and forest floor notes bring complexity and elegance. The tannins are firm yet fresh makingfor real elegance.

This wine is firm, full bodied and full of fruit character with black cherries and spice leading the flavour notes here. This great southern red from winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis at Rockburn in Central Otago. Five clones of Pinot Noir (10/5, 5, 6, Abel, 115 and 777) were harvested from two sub regions of Otago; Gibbston and Parkburn then fermented in large open tonne fermenters with the finished wine spending 10 months in French oak, 33% new. 

Dry Riesling is one of Domaine Rewa's specialities and highlights the lively, succulent flavours of lime zest, lemon notes and white floral aromas that make Riesling one of the world's great white grape varieties. 

This refreshing wine also highlights the greatness of Central Otago as a great Riesling region. 

Akitu A2 Pinot Noir is an approachable and complex Pinot Noir made from three different Pinot clones which receive 35% whole bunch fermentation and a modest 7% new French oak in the maturation process. This makes for a smooth but subtle softness in a lush Pinot, which Akitu owner Andrew Donaldson suggests matching with Peking duck pancakes. Hear hear. Any duck would flatter this wine’s lush flavours, for that matter. Volumes: 1096 cases were produced and the wine was bottled on 19 March 2020.

The home of Akitu 

Andrew Donaldson planted his vineyard with 100% Pinot Noir in 2002 and has since developed three distinctive styles of wine from this great red grape variety. Two reds (Akitu A 1 and Akitu A2) lead the production while a Pinot Blanc is now part of the high quality stable of wines from this producer. 

Donaldson employs winemaker P J Charteris to make the wines. 

At Mt Barker, in New Zealand's South Island, in a high glacial valley of sunshine and rain shadow on the edge of the earth, each season leave its own vivid imprint on our vintage.  Extreme temperature variations, alpine air, altitude, adversity... all the wild elements of this exhilarating land combine in a Pinot Noir of great quality from the world's southernmost wine region.

Winemaking at Felton Road is led by one of Central Otago's most experienced winemakers, Blair Walter, who has been at Felton Road since the mid 1990s. His meticulous attention to detail and unwavering focus on the great classic Chardonnays of the world are as key to this wine's outstanding quality as the focus on great quality in the vineyard and winery. 

Fresh red berry fruits aromas combine with a distinctive dried herb nose, with layers of pot pourri and spice. Chalky tannins and lively acidity entwine around a core of vibrant red fruits. This is a fresh and aromatic wine of elegance and poise.

Established in 1864 by Jean Désiré Féraud, Monte Christo is the birthplace of Central Otago wine. Our wines are made with 100% estate-grown fruit sourced from our vineyards across three distinct sub-regions, the Alexandra Basin, Bannockburn and Pisa. Utilising sustainable farming practices and minimal intervention methods in the winery, the outcome is elegant, refined, and impeccably balanced wines epitomising the terroir of Central Otago.

Tasting note An elegant yet complex Chardonnay with fresh lemon, green pear, white peach, hawthorn flowers, river rock and subtle baking spices.

VINEYARDS Vineyard: Davishon (69%) 

Subregion: Alexandra Basin 

Elevation: 160m 

Clone(s): 6, Mystery clone 

Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand, silt and gravels derived from schist and sandstone

WINEMAKING 

Brix: 21.6 

Fermentation: Wild yeasts in 72%  neutral oak and 28% stainless steel, 100% malolactic  

Aging: 11 months in 72% neutral French oak, 28% stainless steel 

Established in 1864 by Jean Désiré Féraud, Monte Christo is the birthplace of Central Otago wine. Our wines are made with 100% estate-grown fruit sourced from our vineyards across three distinct sub-regions, the Alexandra Basin, Bannockburn and Pisa. Utilising sustainable farming practices and minimal intervention methods in the winery, the outcome is elegant, refined, and impeccably balanced wines epitomising the terroir of Central Otago.

Tasting note With dark plums and spice, this  Pinot Noir has bright acidity and a soft finish.

VINEYARDS 

Vineyard: Catherine’s (39%) Subregion: Pisa Elevation: 240m Clone(s):  115, 5, Abel Soil: Waenga alluvial sand and silt gravels, loam texture and moderately stoney, derived from schist 

Vineyard: Davishon (31%) Subregion:  Alexandra Basin Elevation: 160m Clone(s):  5, 115 Soil: Blackmans alluvial sand and silt gravels derived from schist and sandstone.

Vineyard: Confluence (21%) Subregion: Bannockburn Elevation: 210m Clone(s): 777, 115 Soil: Manuherikia loess deposited silt material overlaying sand and silt alluvial deposits derived from schist

Vineyard: Paris (9%) Subregion: Bannockburn Elevation: 220m Clone(s): 10/5, 115 Soil: Cromwell loess deposited sands derived from schist

WINEMAKING Brix: 23.3 (avg.) Whole Cluster: 6% Total time on skins: 25 days (avg.), including a five-day cold soak Fermentation: Wild yeasts Aging: 10 months in 33% new French oak

Precious little of this lovely Gamay was made from a vineyard of just 1386 vines of Gamay in Northburn, Central Otago. This equates to 0.33 hectare. What this wine lacks in volume, it more than makes up for in high quality.
It?s a wonder that Gamay is only just beginning to be recognised as the plush little sister to Pinot Noir and here is another small volume, top notch example from Central Otago, which proves the point with its lush mouth feel and lively fresh dark fruit flavours.  

Akitu A1 has all the bells and whistles of great Pinot Noir with seductive red floral and fruity aromas leading into a full bodied, silky and structured wine with 40% whole bunch fermentation and five different clones of Pinot Noir adding complexity. The dominant clone in the blend is Abel (a clone is a variation of a grape variety), which lends this Pinot its impressive structure and a silky mouthfeel. It goes without saying that it takes a warm year and ripe grapes to include a high proportion of whole bunches in the fermentation tank, stalks and all. This wine benefits from its high portion of whole bunches and is possibly the best A1 from Akitu yet. A modest 20% new French oak was used to mature the wine. This lends it weight, smoothness and a soft mouthfeel while allowing the fruit to remain in second place after the charry complexity.

The home of Akitu 

Andrew Donaldson planted his vineyard with 100% Pinot Noir in 2002 and has since developed three distinctive styles of wine from this great red grape variety. Two reds (Akitu A 1 and Akitu A2) lead the production while a Pinot Blanc is now part of the high quality stable of wines from this producer. 

Donaldson employs winemaker P J Charteris to make the wines. 

At Mt Barker, in New Zealand's South Island, in a high glacial valley of sunshine and rain shadow on the edge of the earth, each season leave its own vivid imprint on our vintage.  Extreme temperature variations, alpine air, altitude, adversity... all the wild elements of this exhilarating land combine in a Pinot Noir of great quality from the world's southernmost wine region.