Albariño
75cl * Vegan & Sustainable * 12.5% ABV * Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand
Established in 1985 when there were only 80 wineries in the whole of New Zealand, Nautilus Estate is a small family-owned winery nestled in the cool and diverse valleys of Marlborough. Committed to sustainable growing practices, the Hill-Smith Family have made the somewhat unusual choice of building two wineries side by side. The first is dedicated to Pinot Noir and the second, built six years later, is for white winemaking. Separating these facilities has allowed Nautilus to control the winemaking process and reduce energy and waste.
They machine harvest the Albariño grapes before fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. A short period of maturation on lees followed prior to bottling. The resulting single vineyard wine shows fragrant white peaches, and fresh jasmine, with hints of honeydew melon and ripe citrus on the nose. The palate is flavoursome and mouth-filling with a refreshing zingy finish. Delicious upon release, this wine will improve for 3-5 years post vintage.
Pair with pancetta-wrapped scallops with saffron and herb risotto.