F E L T O N R O A D W I N E S L T D B A N N O C K B U R N C E N T R A L O T A G O N E W Z E A L A N D www.FeltonRoad.com TEL 64 3 445 0885 FAX 64 3 445 0881 E-MAIL @FeltonRoad.com

FELTON ROAD BANNOCKBURN, CENTRAL OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND

Felton Road is located in Bannockburn, The climate has a number of Central Otago, New Zealand; the most characteristics which seem to be southerly growing region in the particularly favourable to : large world. The are nestled on gentle diurnal shifts (days of 25-30°C followed north facing slopes at elevations between by nights of 5°C), help create complexity 200 and 335 m above sea level and totally in the flavours and retain acidity. The surrounded by high mountains up to 2000 autumns are very long, cool and dry, m. The latitude of 45 degrees south is permitting a long hang time with little risk similar to Oregon’s Willamette Valley and of botrytis. We normally pick from the some of the finest wine regions of France. first week of April to the first week of May (October-November being the Central Otago is New Zealand’s only wine northern hemisphere equivalents). region with a continental climate rather than maritime. This brings the risk of The cool autumn temperatures normally frosts but has the benefit of low rainfall, allow physiological ripeness to progress low humidity and high sunshine hours. without grape sugars becoming excessive. OUR VINEYARDS

Cornish Point from the Northburn Hills

Our first vineyard: Elms, was selected by We also own two other vineyards on Stewart Elms in 1991 and planted the Felton Road. The Willows, Springs and following year. It is a gentle north-facing Aurum Blocks of the Calvert Vineyard valley, one of the few in Bannockburn to that were planted in 2001, were purchased escape the attentions of the gold miners. in 2013 and total 4.6 ha of Pinot Noir. Careful attention was given to the Situated just west of the Calvert vineyard matching of vine varieties and rootstocks is MacMuir vineyard, totaling 5.1 ha and to the soil variations that are found on the also planted solely to Pinot Noir. This land site. Also natural gullies have been was purchased in 2010 and started retained which guide cold frosty air producing in 2015. through the vineyard away from the vines. is carried out organically We have 14.4 hectares of vines at Elms: throughout and is certified biodynamic by about half Pinot Noir, the rest Demeter. The vineyards are planted at vine and . This vineyard defines the densities of between 2700 to 4000 core of our wines. vines/ha, with more recent plantings up to 5000 vines/ha. In addition, we have a 7.6 hectare vineyard nearby at Cornish Point, dedicated mostly The canopies use a vertical shoot position to Pinot Noir, with 0.3 ha of Chardonnay. trellis system with all pruning, shoot There are 18 different combinations of positioning, shoot thinning, leaf plucking Pinot Noir clones and rootstock, each and fruit thinning carried out by hand. We carefully matched to the soil profiles. The make extensive use of cover crops to vineyard is designed to allow separate supply a natural biodiversity in the vinification of each section: a veritable vineyard which aids vine balance and soil laboratory of Pinot Noir and its structure and fertility. The use of natural possibilities. manure obtained from organic sources for our compost aids our “gentle touch” approach to our vines. Harvesting is by hand normally starting around the beginning of April and each block is harvested and vinified separately.

Our three level gravity-flow is fermentation occurs in the spring with the specifically designed to make wine by hand barrels stirred (batonnage) periodically to in the gentlest way possible. Pinot Noir encourage the malo and to enhance grapes are delivered by gravity to fermenters mouthfeel. Our Chardonnay barrels are also which avoids harsh pumping of grape must. from Burgundian coopers, low extraction, 3 The grapes are not crushed (destemmed year air dried with only around 10-15% new only) and a varying percentage of whole used. bunches are used to add complexity and structure. Using wild yeasts for all our Our are whole bunch pressed then fermentations is an important part of our wild yeast fermented, with the wines being making philosophy and house left on until bottling in the spring to style. Small open top fermenters are used develop complexity and mouthfeel. We and extended both pre and post normally make three different Rieslings of fermentation is carried out to optimise varying residual sweetness from the Dry tannin and flavour extraction. Tanks are Riesling (~3-8g/L), Riesling (~50g/L) and punched down from one to four times per the Riesling Block 1 (~70g/L). The alcohols day. After off, the wine is run by of the Rieslings are normally between 8.0- gravity to barrel in our underground cellars. 12.0%. All our barrels are from Burgundian coopers, 3 year air dried, typically 30% new Felton Road’s winemaker, Blair Walter, oak each and selected for their slow studied at Lincoln University and Oregon extraction and subtlety of flavour. State University, before working in New Zealand, Australia, Oregon, Napa Valley, Natural occurs in and Burgundy. The philosophy is to let the the spring. Inoculation is not necessary; we fruit speak for itself: gentle handling, as simply open the cellar door to gently warm little intervention as possible. Our wine is the wines. The wines are normally bottled given a helping hand to express itself rather after 11-12 months in barrel and sometimes than moulded into an artificially created up to 18 months. The Pinot Noirs are neither winery style. In order to best preserve this fined nor filtered and are normally only personality, we now bottle all of our wines racked the once on the way to bottling. with screwcap closures. We believe this will Chardonnay for barrel fermentation passes maximise the reliability and aging ability of by gravity straight to the barrel from the our wines, as well as removing the ever press (no juice settling), to await a wild present risk of cork taint and random yeast ferment. Complete malolactic oxidation.

OUR WINES

Our single vineyard “Block” wines are Our Block 1 Riesling comes from the made from sweet spots, in the vineyard steepest north facing slope at Elms, where where the vines and form a the greater warmth and heavier soils resonance through (largely accidental) allows the later style to flourish. combination of clone, rootstock, soil and microclimate. They do not receive “reserve” treatment in vinification, but are treated as all other components from the vineyard. The idea is to taste the resonance not to “blow it up” by lavish winemaking.

“Block 3” is planted with predominantly clone AM 10/5 (ten bar five or Wadenswil as the Oregonians call the clone). The vines were planted in 1992 and are on their own roots.

“Block 5” is a similar sized section of Elms which is mostly planted to clone UCD 5 grafted to Riparia Gloire rootstock.

Our Felton Road Pinot Noir is a blend of our three different vineyards. All the different vineyards, blocks, clones, rootstock differences and viticultural trials are all vinified separately in order to taste and learn, but are all recombined at the time of racking out of barrel just prior to bottling. It is therefore a mix of vine age and vineyard origin that provide the wine with many layers of flavours and textures. This is opposed to the much increased personality and expression that comes from a single vineyard or single “Block” wine. Only if a barrel has a technical fault would it be excluded as the idea is to taste the vineyard, not our interpretation of it.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

ROBERT PARKER, THE WINE ADVOCATE “Felton Road’s Pinot Noirs are breakthrough efforts in New Zealand and compete with the finest wines being made in California, Oregon and Burgundy’s Cote D’Or.”

NEAL MARTIN, THE WINE ADVOCATE AND EROBERTPARKER.COM “Feted as one of New Zealand’s best producers and justifiably so, in my opinion, for time and time again Felton Road’s wines triumph against all-comers.”

DECANTER, ICONS OF TOMORROW “Every wine region needs a hero. Sauternes has Yquem, Central Otago has Felton Road. From its first vintage a mere decade ago Felton Road has blazed a trail for other winemakers to follow.”

TOM STEVENSON, THE SOTHEBY'S WINE ENCYCLOPAEDIA “The producer of New Zealand's greatest Pinot Noir and a stunning medium sweet Riesling.” PHILIP RICH, THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL JOURNAL. “By far the most notable name to have emerged from New Zealand in recent years.”

JAMES HALLIDAY, THE AUSTRALIAN “These wines anchor Felton Road’s position as the greatest pinot producer in New Zealand.”

ROBERT JOSEPH; SUNDAY TIMES GOOD WINE GUIDE “An instant superstar producing what may be New Zealand’s top Pinot Noir as well as some very fine Rieslings.”

NEAL MARTIN, THE WINE ADVOCATE “Whenever there is a tasting designed to challenge the supremacy of Burgundy, it is usually a Felton Road that is ushered into the ring, floats like butterfly and out-classes its bloated Old World champions.”

MATTHEW JUKES, EXPERTWINE.COM “I can confirm that this is the single most impressive estate in NZ. And nobody at the moment is closing the gap on their lead. Each and every wine is fantastic.”

TYSON STELZER, TYSONSTELZER.COM “Felton Road single handedly elevates the breathtaking peaks of Central Otago above the vast plains of New Zealand chardonnay.”

FELTON ROAD WINES LTD BANNOCKBURN RD2 CENTRAL OTAGO 9191 NEW ZEALAND www.FeltonRoad.com TEL 64 3 445 0885 FAX 64 3 445 0881 E- MAIL [email protected]