In 1980 when Isabel Estate was established, Chardonnay vines were the first to be planted on the estate. Isabel Estate boasts some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in New Zealand producing fruit of unique intensity and flavour. This was a prophetic decision by founder Mike Tiller. Today New Zealand Chardonnay is winning favour all over the world for its individual style and unique expression of this noblest of varieties.
Over the past decade, demand for Chardonnay has grown exponentially. Isabel Estate has thought carefully about the future of its Chardonnay production and made the strategic decision to replace 3500 Riesling vines from Block 1 in the north-east corner of the estate with Chardonnay clone 548.
Block 1 is a warm corner of the vineyard with alluvial free draining soils, perfect for growing high quality Chardonnay and the vines are close planted, keeping with the rest of the Isabel Estate vineyard and promoting depth of flavour in the grapes.
This particular clone is recognised for producing fruit of intense ripeness, with a lower yield and looser bunches for higher quality. It already grows across the estate and has reliably produced fruit of an extremely high standard. We have no doubt these new Chardonnay vines will produce fruit of the same intensity with their very own unique expression of character that will enhance our Chardonnay production for the future and add further to our range of internationally recognised and award-winning Chardonnays.
“Chardonnay is a flagship variety for Isabel Estate. The micro-climate in this particular corner of the estate is ideally suited to producing Chardonnay of exceptional quality. I look forward to the first vintage and can’t wait to see what we can create in the winery.” Jeremy McKenzie, Chief Winemaker
We acknowledge Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Toa Rangatira as the traditional kaitiaki (custodians)of the whenua (lands) where we cultivate and produce our exceptional wines. For the past 800 years these Iwi have continued their kaitiakitanga and ancestral connections in the Marlborough region and maintain a profound relationship with this land. We recognize their enduring whakapapa connection to the whenua (land) awa (waters), and hapori (community). We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging, and commit to ongoing listening and learning of mātauranga from the voices of tangata whenua.
Isabel Estate is Biogro and Sustainable Winegrowing NZ certified. For our team, sustainability begins in our vineyards, not only with the soils, but with ethical responsibility for our labour sources. This continues through stages of our winemaking process and into our packaging.
Part of Paragon Wine Estates, a registered business of Endeavour Group Limited.