Auntsfield continues the proud heritage of Marlborough’s first vineyard and winery established in 1873.
Our Single Vineyard wines are made from grapes grown at Auntsfield Estate. Each wine shows the distinctive characteristics of ripeness, texture and minerality – qualities unique to the ancient Greywacke rock and Loess clay soils of the vineyard.
Auntsfield produces Chardonnay with finesse, restraint, honed focus and a textured mineral structure. Only the best fruit is used with the resulting wine showing a real sense of place that showcases the mineral structure of the old clay soils of the vineyard
TASTING NOTE:
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of peach skin, mandarin peel, and lemon tart, integrated with brioche and apricot nougat aromas from the French oak influence.
PALATE: Ripe and intense stone fruit flavours of peach and dried apricot complimented by subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut and fig. A tight and linier palate with underlying minerality concludes with seamless length.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 13.5% | pH 3.08 | TA 6.1 g/L
WINEMAKER NOTES
The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed. The juice was fermented in French oak barrels with indigenous (from Auntsfield vineyard) yeast. Maturation on yeast lees allowed the oak flavours to subtly integrate with the fruit to develop depth and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES
The 2022 season had regular rainfall and excellent growing conditions for the vines. This resulted in strong canopies but a smaller than average crop of grapes to harvest. The wet spring period over flowering lead to small berries and bunches, but rewarded vineyards who strive for lower cropping levels through meticulous canopy management. There was a slow progression into Autumn with a drawn-out ripening period where the small crop of fruit reached optimum ripeness.
TASTING NOTE:
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of peach skin, mandarin peel, and lemon tart, integrated with brioche and apricot nougat aromas from the French oak influence.
PALATE: Ripe and intense stone fruit flavours of peach and dried apricot complimented by subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut and fig. A tight and linier palate with underlying minerality concludes with seamless length.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 14% | pH 3.08 | TA 7.0 g/L
WINEMAKER NOTES:
The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed. The juice was fermented in French oak barrels with indigenous (Auntsfield vineyard) yeast. Followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to subtly integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop depth and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES:
The 2021 season was another amazing vintage. Regular winter rainfall and an unseasonably cold spring kept cropping levels low. Summer was very dry but stayed relatively cool resulting in healthy vines with no disease or water stress. There was a slow progression into Autumn with a long drawn-out ripening period where the fruit reached optimum ripeness in perfect harvest conditions.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of peaches, mandarin peel, and lemon tart, integrated with brioche and crème brulee aromas from the French oak influence.
PALATE: Ripe and intense stone fruit flavours of peach and dried apricot complimented by subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut. A tight and linier palate with underlying minerality concludes with seamless length.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 13.5% | pH 3.38 | TA 6.4 g/L
WINEMAKERS NOTES
The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be pressed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
VITACULTURIST NOTES
The 2020 season was amazing! If you could reproduce the weather conditions of this season every year you would. Regular winter rainfall and a cool spring encouraged canopy growth but kept cropping levels low. Summer was very dry but stayed relatively cool resulting in healthy vines with no disease or water stress. There was a slow progression into Autumn with a long ripening period where the fruit reached optimum ripeness in perfect harvest conditions.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of peaches, mandarin peel and lemon tart, integrated with brioche and crème brulee aromas from the French oak influence.
PALATE: Ripe and intense stone fruit flavours of peach and dried apricot complimented by subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut. A tight and linier palate with underlying minerality concludes with seamless length.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 13.5% | pH 3.38 | TA 6.4 g/L
The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be pressed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
The 2019 season was characterised by warm and very dry weather. Regular winter rainfall and a calm spring was a great start. Summer followed a pattern of warm days and cool nights with lots of sunshine, perfect for vibrant and pure fruit characters. The natural vineyard yields were very low. We focused on opening canopies and manipulating leaf to create a cool ripening environment, allowing fruit to ripen slowly to optimum ripeness in early Autumn.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of ripe peach, fig, toasted almond, vanilla and oatmeal on the nose.
PALATE: A concentrated palate that displays excellent depth and weight, wonderfully complemented by creamy mouthfeel and bright acidity.
ANALYSIS: Alc. 13.5% | pH 3.24 | TA 7.1
The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be pressed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
The 2018 season was characterised by regular rainfall at key growth stages. A very dry and warm early summer was followed by wetter more challenging conditions with vineyard work focused around reducing yields and keeping the canopies open and dry. This allowed the fruit to ripen in the cooler conditions of early autumn to optimum ripeness. A season that rewarded dedicated viticulture, vigilance, low cropping and earlier ripening fruit.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold.
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of ripe peach, fig, toasted almond, vanilla and oatmeal on the nose.
PALATE: :A concentrated palate that displays excellent depth and weight, wonderfully complemented by a creamy mouthfeel and bright acidity
ANALYSIS: Alc. 13.5% | pH 3.14 | TA 7.0
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit for this wine was hand-harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be pressed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel aging on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES: The 2017 season was characterised by a cold spring and cool growing season, resulting in low natural cropping levels. A long Autumn produced excellent conditions, allowing the fruit to ripen over an extended period of time providing clean fruit that looked exceptionally bright and vibrant. A season that rewarded vigilance, lower cropping levels and an earlier ripening period before any late Autumn rain.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of peaches, mandarin peel and lemon tart, integrated with brioche and creme brulee aromas from the French oak influence.
PALATE: Ripe and intense stone fruit flavours of peach and dried apricot are complimented by a flinty minerality and subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut. A tight palate with creamy texture and underlying minerality concludes with seamless length.
ANALYSYS: Alc. 14.0% | pH 3.22 | TA 6.3
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be pressed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES: The 2016 season was characterised by moderate yields resulting excellent vine growth from rainfall at key growth stages in the Spring. A very dry summer followed with vineyard work focused around reduced yields by hand to optimal levels. This allowed the fruit to ripen over an extended period of time in the cool and settled conditions of early autumn. A season that rewarded vigilance, lower cropping levels and delayed ripening in the vineyard.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of white peach and mandarin peel integrated with brioche and macadamia nut aromas from the French oak influence.
PALATE: Ripe stone fruit flavours of peach and dried apricot are complimented by a flinty minerality and subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut. A tight, well-structured palate with underlying minerality gives the wine seamless length and complexity.
ANALYSYS: Alc. 14.0% | pH 3.21 | TA 6.5
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be pressed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES: The 2015 season offered up many challenges but particularly a cold windy Spring which reduced yields to very low levels. This fruit developed through a warm summer and mild weather during the harvest period, allowing the fruit to ripen to optimal levels in the cool and settled Autumn conditions. A season of low crops and incredible fruit ripeness and intensity.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays floral aromas of apricot and orange peel integrated with dried spice characters and nougat aromas from the influence of barrel fermentation and lees contact.
PALATE: Ripe stone fruit flavours of nectarine and dried apricot are complimented by a flinty minerality and subtle French oak influence giving hints of macadamia. A tight, well-structured palate with underlying minerality gives the wine seamless length and complexity.
ANALYSYS: Alc. 14.0% | pH 3.2 | TA 6.4
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be crushed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES: The 2014 season was characterised by naturally high yields resulting from an early, warm settled spring. A very dry summer followed with vineyard work focused reduced yields by hand to optimal levels. This allowed the fruit to ripen to optimal levels in the cool and settled conditions of early autumn. A season rewarding hard work and vigilance in the vineyard.
COLOUR: Rich straw gold
AROMA: Intense and complex, this wine displays aromas of nectarine, apricot and orange marmalade integrated with vanilla pod, nougat and hazelnut aromas from the influence of barrel fermentation and lees contact.
PALATE: Ripe stone fruit flavours of nectarine and dried apricot are complimented by a flinty minerality and subtle French oak influence giving hints of roasted hazelnut. A tight, well structured palate with underlying minerality gives the wine seamless length and complexity.
ANALYSYS: Alc. 14.0% | pH 3.18 | TA 7.5
WINEMAKER NOTES: The fruit for this wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, allowing clean and intensely flavoured juice to be crushed from the grape. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, with a combination of indigenous and cultured yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing on yeast lees. Maturation allowed the oak flavours to gently integrate with the fruit and yeast lees characters and develop increased richness and complexity in the wine.
VITICULTURALIST NOTES: The 2013 season was characterised by naturally low yields and warm settled weather with very little rainfall. Autumn produced cool and settled conditions which were some of the best seen in many years. This ripened small bunches of perfectly formed Chardonnay grapes that reached optimum ripeness with a long Autumn ripening period.