Nautilus Estate

Brand Description

The natural balance and mathematical precision of the striking Nautilus shell has been our inspiration to create expressive, textural, precisely crafted wines at Nautilus Estate since 1985, the early days of Marlborough winegrowing. Back then there were around 80 wineries in NZ. Today there are around 700. Yet we remain small, under the same family ownership, and committed to making outstanding wines from the stunning Marlborough region of New Zealand.

Location of Vineyard

All Nautilus Estate's grapes come from a handful of vineyards in the strikingly beautiful Marlborough region in the South Island of New Zealand. Over the last thirty years, we have searched out special vineyard sites that give distinctive and exciting flavours, from the alluvial flood plains of the Wairau River, to the more extreme climate of the Awatere Valley, to later plantings moving up onto the hills in the Southern Valleys. Differences brought about by altitude, aspect and topography combine with diverse soils to produce unique individual growing conditions and wines. The high sunshine hours (2,400 hours annually), shelter from the prevailing winds, and proximity to the cool Pacific Ocean, combined with a high diurnal temperature range make it a great place to grow grapes.

Winemaking Philosophy

Winemaker Clive Jones joined Nautilus in 1998 and has overseen our Pinot Noir programme from its inception, including planting modern, low yielding, premium Dijon clones and designing a dedicated, gravity-flow Pinot Noir winery in 2000, the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Clive is equally passionate about the other varieties and has designed the Nautilus Whites Cellar in 2006 with Marlborough’s flagship variety, Sauvignon Blanc, along with environmental considerations, firmly in mind. This dedication has been rewarded by numerous accolades and trophies over the years as well as positions for Clive on the Marlborough Winegrowers and national NZ Winegrowers boards. But while we always appreciate recognition from our peers, it is belief in the marriage of fine wine, fine food and great company that inspires each new vintage. All our wines are sustainably produced and vegan friendly.

Owner: Hill-Smith Family
Winemaker: Clive Jones
Total acreage under vine: 173
Founded: 1985

“Elegant and perfumed with a savoury underlay, this is creamy and complex, with pure green-apple fruit and white-mushroom notes. The acidity adds an energetic tension that lasts into the long, fragrant finish.” – 16.5 points — acclaim for N/V Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut from Jancis Robinson, Apr 2024

“Wet-earth minerality and ripe pineapple and red apples. Creamy and flinty – it is true to its reductively made, lean style. Bright acidity. Very long and perfumed finish.” – 16.5+ points — acclaim for 2021 Nautilus Chardonnay from Jancis Robinson, Apr 2024

“The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc may not be the most aromatically exuberant example you'll find from Marlborough, but that's not its aim. Texturally, it is far more interesting, offering richness, complexity and, most importantly, harmony. It has flavor concentration, but those flavors have restraint, sitting at the elderflower, grapefruit and pineapple end of the spectrum, with a subtle flinty character peeking through.” — acclaim for 2023 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc from Vinous, Apr 2024

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