Two generations of the Cowley family have worked this land. It might be three if our youngest can decide between being a winemaker like his father or a fireman because he likes the trucks.
AUNTSFIELD’S LAND FOUND THE COWLEYS RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY ROUND.
When Graeme and Linda first bought the property, there were no grapes anywhere around them. It wasn’t until they began researching the history of the land, that they realised they had just purchased Marlborough’s very first vineyard. Auntsfield is a family business in every sense of the word. And, at the very heart of this, are Graeme and Linda’s sons – Ben and Luc Cowley. Both men are utterly passionate about the part they play in creating the exceptional wines made here at Auntsfield. Just to hear them talk about their part in the creation is a privilege: they will tell you about the land, the grapes and the craft behind their wines. In fact just try to get them to stop talking.
With a twinkle in their eyes they will tell you every minute, wonderful detail of what they do. These are men driven not by the bottom line but by the desire to make the best wine they can.
Reading a few words on a website can hopefully convey the passion of these two brothers, but nothing can prepare you for the wine they create. Not until you have a glass of this wine in your hands, you raise it to your lips and let the taste overtake you, can you really know how special this relationship is.
The relationship of Ben with the land and Luc with the wine. It’s as authentic as wine gets. That’s something we pride ourselves on.
“There’s nothing better than sitting down at the end of a hard days work and experiencing a wine that expresses where we come from and who we are”.
Ben knows the seasons and the land better than any, this is his soil, these are his vines, his grapes. He lives here on the vineyard and is totally and utterly in touch with the land and the weather. He knows when to harvest and when to take risks. This is his family land and no one knows it better than him. “Wine with provenance is created from quality fruit grown in a distinctive terroir”. Ben believes in growing grapes of the highest quality that truly reflect the individuality of Auntsfield Estate.
“A culture of searching for differences within the vineyard has allowed us to focus on individual parcels of fruit which display unique expressions of the physical characteristics of Auntsfield Estate. It’s my job to nurture these differences and help develop their expression through to the final wine”.
“My aim as a winemaker is to make exciting wines of individuality, with personality and a sense of place”.
Luc takes the exceptional grapes his brother produces and crafts them into wines that honour the heritage of Auntsfield. He has worked on many wines in his career but when it comes to wines from his own family vineyard this is when he shines.
Wines that honour the history and celebrate the uniqueness of this outstanding vineyard.
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