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.

 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 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.

Dark, smooth, velvety and full bodied and made from hand picked Cabernet Franc grapes grown on some of the oldest vines in Hawke's Bay. The grapes in this wine were grown on the TK vineyard, beside Oak Estate in the Bridge Pa Triangle sub region of the Bay. Grapes were fermented with indigenous yeasts made specifically from the vineyard to ferment this wine, which expresses Cabernet Franc's juicy dark fruit flavours with refreshing nerve and acidity. It was aged in older oak barrels for seven months with no new oak and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

Earthy flavours and velvety texture make this impressive Pinot Noir one of the best from Martinborough and it comes from one of the region's first three wineries - Martinborough Vineyards.

Te Tera is made from Martinborough Vineyards’ more youthful vines, which range between nine and 24 years old from a vineyard south of Martinborough village but within the region's stony wine 'terrace' appellation. This vineyard, situated on Frater's Road, produces grapes that lend deep aromatic flavours of dark cherries,  dried herbs and spices, all of which instantly grab your attention on the nose of this elegant Pinot Noir. The palate shows soft, rich fruit flavours with a hint of spice. 

The grapes in this wine were 100% destemmed and fermented with wild yeasts in open top tanks for approximately three weeks. Hand plunging is followed by gentle pressing to barrels for 10 months aging on lees in French oak, 15% of it new. 

This is a lovely wine that consistently delivers rewarding rich flavours held in a smooth silky texture. 

A big red with a big following thanks to its dense dark and impressive ripe black plummy flavours intermingled with spice in a deliciously full bodied, complex red wine from Waiheke Island's biggest wine producer. 

The grapes in this wine come from six vineyards on the island. They are called  Asylum, Big North, Garden Cove, Mad Mans, Niko Face and North 3; all small sites planted on extremely steep hillsides on a remote and beautiful corner of Waiheke Island. Each little vineyard was originally planted as an experiment to see how well grapes would fare here. The results speak for themselves; Man O' War Dreadnought Syrah is a commanding and powerful red from one of the warmest climates in New Zealand. It was fermented in French oak, 32% new and 68% seasoned and is named after the first in a line of early 20th Century battleships which was named Dreadnought. 

Black Cottage Rose is Dave Clouston’s brainchild and was inspired after long hot summers spent in Corsica and the south of France where he made, light bodied, dry and  salmon pink wines from deeply coloured, thick skinned red grapes. These styles of wines are ideal for drinking chilled in summer, not only in the Meditteranean but also right here in New Zealand, which is home to this wine. 

It's made from grapes grown in Marlborough's hot summer days, which are balanced by fresh acidity from the region's cool nights. 

This is one of our best sellers and it's super easy to get hooked on its tasty summer berry flavours and dry style. 

Winemaker Kevin Judd makes one of Marlborough's best Chardonnays every year and this one is full bodied with intense ripe flavours of grapefruit, burnt orange and white nectarine, which mingle with savoury aromas of smoked almonds, hazelnut meringue and the heady fragrance of freshly cut hay. The mealy savouriness carries through onto a rich, textural palate, evidence of this wine’s low-intervention winemaking. An intricate bone-dry style that is highly concentrated with a distinct flintiness, tight structure and crisp citrussy finish.

This is an elegant Chardonnay with a medium-full body and characteristics of stone-fruit and malo-lactic fermentation. The nose offers rock-melon and peach notes with a touch of oaky vanilla. The palate is juicy and ripe, with a creamy texture and a good dose of acidity.

Winemaker Rebecca Salmond does a super job producing this dry, full bodied, boldly flavoursome Gisborne Chardonnay each year. 

If you're after a big, creamy style, this will tick all the right boxes and delivers peachy stonefruit characters too. A tasty wine for drinking in a large glass, lightly chilled.

The first year Kevin Judd made his Wild Sauvignon was in 2009 and the winemaking has remained consistent ever since with complexity, creaminess and a full body coming from the 100% barrel fermentation with wild yeasts followed by malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity for two thirds of the wine. It then spends approximately 11 months maturing in barrel and remains in tank for another six months for battonage (the French name for stirring the lees - the decomposing yeast cells left over in the wine).

Winemaker's note:

"2015 was an exceptional vintage and the weather was consistent which allowed us to grow and ripen grapes to optimum quality. This blend is made of 72% Merlot, 20% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes hand-picked off our Gimblett Vineyard (58%) and Triangle Vineyard (42%). 

After fermentation the wine was aged for 24 months in French oak (42% new), then blended and had a further 3 months on lees in tank. There was no racking which allow the wine to have great volume and weight.

This is a concentrated, medium to full bodied blend. With ripe blackberry and plum characters, fine grained tannins and a fresh acidity all giving the wine a wonderful balance. It will age well and improve for 10 years from vintage."

Evocatively named after the two rivers running through Marlborough; the Wairau and the Awatere, whose banks are flanked with grapes, including those that made their way into this dry pinkie with its fresh summer berry flavours and lingering finish... Marlborough winemaker Dave Clouston spent three years making wine on the French island of Corsica, where dry light bodied, flavoursome rose is the order of the day in the Mediterranean heat.

This is his Marlborough take on the same theme, only it's made 100% from this country's most planted red grape, Pinot Noir. It's a dry light bodied, super fresh rose to drink year round. 

This fleshy, savoury, super silky and earthy Pinot Noir is made from grapes grown on a small .8 of a hectare situated on the road to Castlepoint in the northern Wairarapa. The first vintage was 2016 and the wine is a  collaboration between winemakers Karl Johner and Raphael Burki. All grapes in this smooth Pinot were hand harvested with 20% whole bunch to provide floral and fruit aroma lift and silkiness. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak, 20% new, and bottled without filtering or fining. It is vegan friendly.Lime Hill Pinot Noir is made from a small vineyard of .8 of a hectare situated on the road to Castlepoint in the northern Wairarapa. The first vintage was in 2016 and the brand is a  collaboration between winemakers Karl Johner (of Johner Wines at Gladstone) and Raphael Burki, who have been making wine together since 2009. 

This wine is bottled without any filtering or fining. It is vegan friendly.

Pale pink, classic Pinot Noir rose colour. Lifted floral nose of rosewater and strawberry. The palate mixes crunchy red delicious apple, ripe raspberry and cream before finishing dry. Limited supply, will sell out fast. 

Fabulous Chardonnay from Karl Johner's vineyard at Gladstone in the central Wairarapa, a cool climate which accentuates the crisp fresh acidity that balances the full bodied, creamy nuances in this lovely wine. 

Great value for money and a wine that combines creamy flavours with freshness.

Hand picked grapes from Karl Johner's estate vineyard in Gladstone make this medium bodied rosé which is full of flavour and juicy fruit appeal. It's so flavoursome that it tastes more like a pale red wine than a typical pink wine. This is mouthwatering with red berries flavours of strawberry and watermelon notes adding freshness. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity.  

Drink lightly chilled.