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Felton Road

Central Otago, Central Otago, New Zealand

  • 1004
    of the 245 000
    wine producers
    of the world

  • Time

    01:04 AM

  • Wine average?

    90 Tb

  • Country Ranking?

    7

  • Region Ranking?

    1

  • Popularity ranking?

    193

Vineyards

Considerable research by Stewart Elms (hence the Elm tree logo) in 1991 identified the north facing slopes at the end of Felton Road, Bannockburn as being one of the warmest and most ideal sites in Central Otago for the growing and production of premium wine. Heat summation data and soil maps of the area, developed as a result of the construction of the Clyde dam, were helpful in this decision. The three different soils identified are free draining with low fertility characteristics, and combined with the unique climate, are ideal for the production of premium quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.

 

Our vineyards are managed by our own viticulturist, Gareth King, and his team of dedicated staff. Meticulous summer management of a single vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy ensures even and early fruit maturity. Shoot thinning, shoot positioning, leaf plucking and bunch thinning are all carried out by hand as required to ensure optimum quality fruit. We have inter-row planting of various different cover crops in order to assist in controlling vine vigour, improve soil health and general biodiversity.

Mulch is also used in drier parts of the vineyard to help retain moisture, minimise the requirement for irrigation, and to balance areas of lighter more free draining soils. Organic compost is made utilising the winery waste, and organic cow manure and straw.

 

Since 2002 the vineyards have been managed organically and biodynamically, and in 2010 all three vineyards were awarded full Demeter certification. Pruning is carried out to leave desired bud numbers thus ensuring moderate controllable yields and to create an even, light penetrable canopy. Irrigation is usually necessary during the later dry summer months. Soil moisture levels are carefully monitored and water is applied only when necessary to maintain appropriate soil moisture levels. All grapes are carefully hand picked, keeping separate any quality differences within blocks due to clones, rootstocks and viticultural trials.

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Winemaking

Biodynamic agriculture was suggested by the German philosopher, Rudolph Steiner, in the 1920's: it forms the next step beyond conventional organics (which are a pre-requisite to Biodynamics) and starts, in essence, with a simple idea:

If we view a farm as a single, symbiotic living organism, then the more vigorous and complex that organism is, the richer the growing medium it provides for everything within the farm. Anything reared upon the farm, living on it, or working upon it similarly becomes an inseparable part of this biodynamic system. The object of Biodynamics is to maximise the living energy within this system in order to make it self-sustaining and of the highest quality. In order to maximise the living energy within our soils, Biodynamic composts are made which form the foundation of this growing regime.

 

The composts are treated with a series of preparations, each one of which sounds rather like a Harry Potter potion (for example preparation 502 is made from Yarrow flowers fermented in a stag's bladder), but they are simply a series of ferments, each one of which creates a very rich and diverse bacterial soup targeted to work with particular elements of the compost. Together they form a potent microbial brew which stimulates  he breakdown of organic matter and creates very complex and potent compost. Through this we build a huge biodiversity at the most basic level of our soils. In addition, work in the vines is carried out in accordance with a Biodynamic calendar that advises on the right days, dependant on lunar and astrological movement, to perform each task. Again, while the idea that the planets or stars might affect the vines may seem odd (though today it is generally accepted that the lunar cycle does have significant effects in all aspects of nature) there has been extensive research growing the same seeds in phase with the calendar against control groups with random schedules, and in almost every trial the calendar seeds grow with greater health and vigour. Lastly, Biodynamics requires a strong ethical link to guardianship of the land by every member of the team who work the land and manage it. We try to use our land not simply to be sustainable, but also to maximise the biodiversity it supports.  

 

We plant cover crops and wild flowers within the vineyard itself. Our hillsides behind the vines are home to a herd of goats, which keep the briar at bay while supplying meat for the table. Within the vineyard we keep a flock of chickens that forage among the vines, repay them with natural manure and supply delicious, organic eggs.

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Inside information

Why put something used on Coca-Cola on to fine wine?

The Screwcap on a wine bottle isn’t the same as those used for other food and drink: it has been specially developed for protecting fine wine over an extended aging period in the bottle. Specifically, the part in contact with the wine, (made from a thin Teflon film covering pure tin) is designed to stay stable and flavour neutral for decades.

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9 different wines with 55 vintages

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