Isabel Family Vineyard

Meet Isabel Bayley

2011-11-04T16:48:00.001+13:00

Meet Isabel Bayley (Izzy) of Howick, Auckland.

From the team here at Isabel, we hope you get the opportunity to enjoy many more beach days this summer!

Meet Isabel Leddy

2011-10-28T15:09:00.000+13:00

Meet 3 year old Isabel Leddy from New South Wales, Australia.

Today she is wearing a pink Isabel toddler T-shirt.

Isn't she just adorable!!

A huge HELLO to Isabel Leddy, We hope you will come visit us here in Marlborough someday. We would be delighted to meet you :)

Have a goat day!

2011-10-28T14:43:00.001+13:00

Laraine brought her son Max to visit the Isabel goats for Hug a goat day!

Meet the crew

2011-09-16T15:54:00.004+12:00

Our New Cellar Door Host Teresa

Nickname: T.

Biggest Fear:Heights

Secret Skill: Mixing v. mean margueritas!

Favourite Non-wine Drink: strong coffee

Who would you like to have dinner with? Barrack Obama

Skill you want to learn: Playing piano

If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Bridge over troubled waters

Best part of working in a winery: Always changing even in tiny ways

Best part of working with a family: No two days ever the same

Motto: Life is too short to ..................

Meet the Crew:

2011-09-05T15:12:00.004+12:00

Jeremy Foley - Maste Vineyard Worker

Nickname: Dusty
Biggest Fear: No Fear
Secret Skill: None
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Pure Blonde Beer
Who would you like to have dinner with? Richie McCaw
Skill you want to learn: Harvester driving
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Here comes the boom
Best part of working in a vineyard: Early morning starts before the suns up getting a tan in summer.
Best part of working with a family: Good. happy environment to work in
Motto: train hard, play hard

2011-08-26T09:56:00.006+12:00

Holaaaaa,

After two weeks on holidays around Australia, drinking red Aussie wines, campervan, visiting wineries, etc….! Beach, Sun and Palms! - Thank you to all; old friends, new friends, wineries etc…..for the amazing hospitality.

Back to the reality, Bottling! Not stop! many mini bottles. To be fear thousand of them to fulfill Emirates order bottles which soon will be on all Emirates flights during the 2011 RUGBY WORLD CUP.

This week been just gorgeous, seems spring is just around the corner. Manu –our French intern has been taking advantage of the nice weather. Below is some pictures of him Snowboarding at Rainbow Ski Field. Looking at the pictures am thinking, I must go on the weekend!!!

Chao Amigos

Pati

Meet Isabel

2011-08-23T13:16:00.002+12:00

Meet Isabel Holland.
This little firecracker has being playing in the snow in Auckland last week.
We can't wait to meet you Isabel, we would be delighted for you to come visit our vineyard.

Apart from wine, animals are the best!

2011-08-19T14:43:00.009+12:00

One of the coolest things about working at Isabel Estate is the animals, (if you love them as much as I do).

This is a photo of Robyn's pet goat (well the back of it walsing out of my office - don't worry it didn't leave any marbles behind).

Then there's Fritz, the winery mouse catcher - pictured here snoring in my in-tray for goodness sakes. Animals add a fun element to your day I reckon.

They make you laugh, and are fun to play with.

At home we have two cats and a dog, and they think they are part of the family.

Apart from wine, animals are the best!

Laraine

Flying Swirling Whizz Bang All American Roadtrip

2011-08-12T15:36:00.005+12:00

Hello All!

Caitlin here, most might know me as bubbles but I am the 'marketing girl' of the family & I am about to reep me some benefits. Off to Aussie next week for our Mezzanine QLD Roadshow which will be a blast Gold Coast > > Noosa. Then a big old American roadtrip to meet the extended family of Isabel in the US. I will be updating my twitter account for news and developments @caitlintiller

Signing off now for the weekend, glass of Isabel Pinot in hand...

*cheersies*
CT

Meet Isabel

2011-08-05T13:17:00.004+12:00

Meet Isabel Hoggarth of Yorkshire, England. She was named after her father's favourite New Zealand Sauvignon!

We wish you all the best for your christening.

Brad's first day of singing and painting?

2011-08-05T13:11:00.005+12:00

Greetings blog followers!

Well, it's the first day of my Certificate in Applied Organics and Biodynamics. Yipee! Following our Biogro Organic Certification this year, it seems logical to enroll and it's hoped that this 32 week course will keep me on my toes, enable Isabel to incorporate new ideas into our own vineyard philosophy and of course get to know like minded people. Just to give you an idea of what I'm in for I thought I'd share with you an extract from the course book...

"Singing and painting is an integral part of the course as it opens each other up, harmonises the group and helps students observe the life behind the matter as well as develop a sense of the rhythms and expressions of the subjects at hand..."

Great. I'm pretty sure I won't make any friends after they hear me singing... Probably think a cow has been caught in an electric fence outside the classroom. And the painting? hrmm, do you think think they'd let me bring spray paint?

I'll let you know if I make it through the first day or have to sit under the teachers desk again...

Meet the crew

2011-07-22T14:46:00.004+12:00

Jenna Lee - The New Marketing Chick

Nickname: Small fry
Biggest Fear: Not knowing
Secret Skill: Aerial silks
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Min Chi
Who would you like to have dinner with? Dave Grohl
Skill you want to learn: Telekinesis
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Foo Fighters - learn to fly
Best part of working in a vineyard: Sitting outside in the sun eating lunch, watching the sheep in the vineyard with beautiful snowy mountains in the backdrop...
Best part of working with a family: Being apart of the Isabel family is great. It makes my own crazy family feel normal.
Motto: Don’t let incompetent people waste your time

Grapes in-coming!!!!

2011-03-25T13:42:00.003+13:00

Well hello blog, it has been a while! The sun is out today in the crisp blue sky and the we are loving it!! Harvest began last Monday (21st of March) and the Pinot Noir came in at record timing - 3 days of 'hard core' hand picking and now onto the Pinot Gris!

The Season has been very kind to us, lots of classic Marlborough sun ideal for the ripening and enhancing the flavour profile in the wines but retaining our cool climate status we are enduring some chilly nights as the days get shorter. We are expecting some killer wines from this 2011 vintage.

We have a great team if international Interns this year working with us.:

A big Kiwi Kia Ora to Dominic (Affectionately known as Liam Finn) from Oregon, Manuel from the South of France, Dominik from Germany, Gonçalo from Portugal and Raquel and Carlos from Spain. In the vineyard we have Jakub, Ondrej and Tomas all the way from Czech Republic who are having a great time making lots of noise in the vineyard to keep the birds away...

More posts to come!

Happy Friday everyone!

Sonny

2010-11-24T15:47:00.006+13:00

He's finally here! Sonny, son of Minerva and Rocky, brother of Murphy, friend of every one's. He made his grand appearance on Saturday afternoon and was up jumping around within a few hours.

He's four days old today and Julia and I went down to get a few photos. Oh my! So cute! He loves frolicking in the tall grass and is a big fan of his own voice. All the goats seem to like having him around. All except Murphy, who is a bit jealous of all the attention his mother is giving his new baby brother.

Now we are waiting for Willow to give birth. She looks like a blimp with horns. We are guessing she will have twins and hoping they are does.

November

2010-11-03T13:01:00.004+13:00

Thinking about the 2011 harvest already?!? We don't even have grapes yet! It's true though. We are already planning for the the harvest season next April-ish. Big items on the list at the moment include buying barrels and picking interns. It's important to have barrels with the right amount of 'toasty-ness' and age for that ISABEL style. We've been so blessed with awesome interns in the past and we are gathering a great crew for this vintage as well.

As for the present moment, we are still budrubbing and spraying in the vineyard. Big news there: our new 'under-vine mower'! It's part of our organic program, but more on that later.

Cleaning continues in the winery. Big surprise, eh? Pati is back from her trip to Chile where she was visiting family and friends and, of course, checking out a few of the many wineries there! She is now busy putting the final touches on the 2008 Noble Sauvage and 2009 Pinot Noir as well as getting the 2010 Pinot Gris ready for bottling. Busy, busy, busy...

Goat News

2010-10-28T09:59:00.005+13:00

(Top Left: Rocky's first haircut. Top Left: Waiting their turns. Bottom Left: Rocky. Bottom Right: Minerva and Willow.)

Their free reign of the vineyard is over. The goats have now been confined to their huge grassy paddock. Goats are very social creatures and would often make an appearance in the Cellar Door.

Yesterday was shearing day and all the goats got new haircuts for summer. I think they appreciate having all that hot heavy wool cut off. It was pretty funny watching them check each other out afterwards as they obviously didn't recognize one another and head-butting ensued. It was Rocky's first time being sheared and he handled it like a champ. The "Mohair" from the shearing is bundled up and sent to different areas in South America to be used for things like sweaters, scarves, hats, and socks.

Now that Willow's wool is gone, you can very clearly see how pregnant she is. Her sides are bulging! She is due in a few weeks and hopefully we will have another doe to add to our herd. We were also surprised to discover that Minerva may be pregnant as well!! Any name suggestions are appreciated!

Fencing, Training, Spraying, and Shipping!

2010-10-20T13:02:00.007+13:00

Here's what's going on at ISABEL today:

Basia and Joey are out in the Chardonnay bud rubbing and training the young vines to grow straight. It's a lot of work, but at least it's a nice day today.

Francesco is putting the finishing touches on the goat fence. These fluffy guys have had the run of the vineyard for quite a while, but now it's time to keep them to their paddock. I will miss their random visits to the Cellar Door though.

Brad is spraying the Pinot Noir for the first time this season. It's a concoction of organic sulphur and fish based fertilizer. This will help jump start the vine growth. It also helps to protect against powdery mildew and mites so the vines stay happy and healthy.

Jane and Luke have kept busy with all the orders preparing for the Christmas rush. Containers are regularly being packed and sent all over the globe.

Not bad for a Wednesday! P.S. Check out our Facebook page for more photos!

The Week that Was...

2010-10-08T11:17:00.005+13:00

If you weren't in Marlborough this week, you missed out! We finally had a full week of warm days and beautiful sun shine. I even got to bust out a skirt. But don't fret, there are more of these days on their way.

The sunshine seems to bring out the wine tasters making the Cellar Door a very busy place. It's been one week since the new releases made their debut and the feedback has been very encouraging. The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc and 2008 Dry Riesling have been flying out the door!

Lots of spring cleaning here in the winery. We have been washing barrels and refilling them all week. Francesco and his mighty arms has carried them all up from the cellar, cleaned them, and is now really looking forward to bringing them back down today... not. Jane is helping out with the washing and is in charge of refilling the barrels once they are back in the cellar. She's also doing a bit of cleaning down there and making sure everything is nice and dry. With the warmer weather, topping barrels is a constant job. The barrels can loose a cup or more every week to "evaporation", but with some of the antics that go on here... I have my suspicions as to where it really goes.

In other news, the goat fence is coming along nicely. Just a few more days work and it should be finished and hopefully we'll be able to keep the goats secured. We have a few new friends joining us for a wee while. Two new horses are out in the paddock behind the winery and Luna is overjoyed now that she has someone her size to run around with!

End of Septmeber Update

2010-09-30T11:05:00.008+13:00

Marlborough enjoyed some beautiful summer-like days this month! The Cellar Door is getting busier with guests from all over the world stopping in. We even had our first TV celebrity!!

Pruning: Done and dusted! We kept the vines to two canes this year to continue having lower yields. Now our big project is keeping the grass down. Since the sheep were moved out of the vineyard a few weeks ago the task of keeping the grass cut is back to us. Bud rubbing will begin in the next couple of weeks.

In an effort to keep the goats from indulging in the smorgasbord of buds, Brad and Francesco have been building a 'goat proof' fence. Earlier attempts at keeping the goats out of the vineyard have failed, so we have our fingers crossed for this one. I'll try to get a picture of it when it's completed.

Drum Roll Please! Tomorrow, October 1st 2010, we officially welcome the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc to our Cellar Door! If you are in the area, please stop in have try this new guy. A few new friends are also joining the party. The 2007 Chardonnay and 2008 Dry Riesling will be making their first appearances as well. If you can't make it tomorrow, it's OK... we are starting to move into our summer hours! Isabel's Cellar Door will now be open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm.

That's all for now. Happy October!

Meet the Crew: Laraine

2010-09-28T15:23:00.002+13:00

This is Laraine. She is the newest member of the Isabel family and is our Administration Assistant.

Nickname: "Lulu"
Biggest Fear: Heights and big spiders
Secret Skill: Shorthand (no one knows what I'm writing)
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Water
Who would you like to have dinner with? Anyone as long as I don't have to cook. Actually, Daniel Carter comes to mind!
Skill you want to learn: Drawing cool pictures & art
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? "The Rose" - No I'm only joking. I have no idea really.
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard: Changing seasons.
Best part of working with a family: 'We're in this together' kind of feeling.
Motto: "You cannot change the direction of the wind, but you can alter your sails."

Meet the Crew: Aaron

2010-09-24T09:29:00.003+12:00

This is Aaron. He is our 'bean counter' and coffee king.

Nickname: "Biggsie"
Biggest Fear: Phil Goff as PM
Secret Skill: Cooking a mean curry
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Craft Beer
Who would you like to have dinner with? Gordon Ramsey
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Can't think of a good one...
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard: Not being a lemming working in a square cubicle with no natural light.
Motto: Do it once, do it right.

Brief Update

2010-09-21T14:55:00.004+12:00

Whew! Back from our blogging hiatus. I've been off gallivanting all over the South Island, so here's a quick update from ISABEL.

ISABEL's Pinot Gris was highlighted on 'The Beat Goes On'. It's a New Zealand lifestyle television programme where Tony Astle talks about two of the wines from 'Antoine's' wine list. You can check out the video clip here.

Mark your calendars! Isabel is releasing the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc on Friday, October 1st! If you are in the area, make sure to stop in and try this wine! To sweeten the deal, ISABEL's 2007 Chardonnay and 2008 Dry Riesling will also be released on the first! If you are interested in more information about these wines, you can find the tasting notes at www.isabelestate.com.

Starting on October 2nd the Cellar Door will begin its Summer Hours of Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. So now you have an extra day to get in and try some wines! I hope to see you there!

Spring is in the Air

2010-08-31T14:38:00.004+12:00

Buds are Bursting! Spring is definitely in the air!

This week the sheep were moved out of the vineyard and back into their pasture. Apparently the new buds on the vines are quite tasty and if we want any wine the sheep gotta go. Depending on the weather, they may be back in December or January to help with the leaf plucking. Around this time, the grapes have started to grow, but are much too sour for the sheep. They prefer the sweet leaves and only eat them allowing more sunlight to reach the grapes.

I never did find any lambs... Bummer, I know. But we do have some exciting news! Willow, one of our goats, is pregnant!! Hopefully we will have a fluffy little one running around in November.

Only two weeks left of pruning for this year!

Meet the Crew: Brad

2010-08-23T14:30:00.004+12:00

This is Brad. His domain is all things vineyard.

Nickname: "Tonka"
Biggest Fear: Hank (my alter ego) doing something stupid...
Secret Skill: Yacht Racing
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Salt water
Who would you like to have dinner with? Ernesto Berterelli
Skill you want to learn: Reading
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? "Get a haircut and get a real job" by George Thorogood
Best part of working in a vineyard: Lunch
Best part of working with your family: No comment
Motto: I pretend to work. They pretend to pay me.

Bottling Preparations

2010-08-18T09:31:00.004+12:00

Today is going to be a long day of setting up for our first big bottling run tomorrow. That's right! The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc goes into bottles tomorrow. So today is all about cleaning, organizing, and getting bottles and cases ready to go. A few of our awesome pruners have traded a beautiful day in the vines to come help us make up boxes. They will also be working in the bottling line for the next few days.

Meet the Crew: Fritz

2010-08-10T16:27:00.010+12:00

This is Fritz. He sleeps all day.

Nickname: "Fritzy"
Biggest Fear: Getting locked in the winery overnight
Secret Skill: Climbing through windows and catching birds
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Anything left unattended on the kitchen bench. A cuppa tea with milk is always nice.
Who would you like to have dinner with? The ducks on the lawn...
Skill you want to learn: To open doors
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? The Pink Panther
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard: Sleeping on the chairs in the Cellar Door. I get patted for doing nothing...

Meet the Crew: Jane

2010-08-10T16:21:00.004+12:00

This is Jane. She's our assistant winemaker and in charge of the bottling line.

Nickname: "Chicken"
Motto: "If you fail the first time, hide all evidence of trying!"
Secret Skill: PADI dive instructor
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Ginger & Lemon herbal tea. Good Tequila.
Who would you like to have dinner with? Isabel
Skill you want to learn: To speak Spanish, sleep on airplanes, and make authentic Thai and Japanese food
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard: Having access to a great space for parties!
Best part of working with your family: Mum's lunches

Meet the Crew: Robyn

2010-08-10T15:55:00.008+12:00

This is Robyn. She's the Queen Bee and in charge of all things marketing.

Nickname: "Snowy"
Biggest Fear: Heights
Secret Skill: Diagnostic Radiographer
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Where's the fun in that?
Who would you like to have dinner with? Paula Deen
Skill you want to learn: Diplomacy
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? 'Lady' by Kenny Rogers
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard: Seeing my goats come into the Cellar Door
Best part of working with your family: Do you have to ask?

Yep! That's Robyn with Kenny!

August Update

2010-08-09T12:49:00.003+12:00

I cannot wait for Spring to arrive. It's been said that it's going to come quickly this year, but it's just not happening fast enough for me! Oh those warm Marlborough afternoons...

I have kept busy chasing the sheep in search of new lambs. No luck yet, but my fingers are still crossed. Pictures will be posted the moment I find them.

Spring is a busy time for us in the winery with heaps of bottling and shipping. All of the new labels, cases and bottles arrived last week so we are ready to rock n roll. The bottling line will be working like crazy beginning this week.

We have already started to process orders and the UK will be the first International Market to receive the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc! Lucky you!

I'm also looking forward to meeting visitors at the Cellar Door. We have many International guests throughout the Spring and Summer. If you are in Marlborough, please stop in and see us. Luna would love to meet you too!

Meet the Crew: Luna

2010-08-06T14:27:00.004+12:00

This is Luna. She's in charge of greeting guests, drooling, and chasing sheep. She provides most of the entertainment at Isabel.

Nickname: "Bug", "Noodle", "Lune Bug", "Lunatic"
Biggest Fear: The vacuum cleaner
Motto: "What's a motto with you?"
Secret Skills: Opening doors, sneaking up on guests, attempting to fit into small spaces, taking bungs out of barrels
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Puddles
Who would you like to have dinner with? The sheep...
Skill you want to learn? To open the fridge.
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Scooby Doo
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard: Chasing sheep and getting pet by all the guests.
Best part of working with your family: Treats!

Meet the Crew: Patricia

2010-08-02T16:44:00.006+12:00

This is Pati. She's our Oneologist and Winemaker.

Nickname: "Chiquita"
Biggest Fear: To have a Kiwi accent and like tomato sauce one day!!
Secret Skill: Painting furniture and netting
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Scotch and Whisky, Pisco
Who would you like to have dinner with? Jancis Robinson
Skill you want to learn: To dance ballet, play golf and be an awesome snowboarder!
If you had a theme song, one that played everytime you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Song: La Vida es un Carnaval (salsa) Album: Azucar Artist: Celia Cruz
Best part of working in a winery/vineyard:
In the winery: Cuvree, Pinot Noir's fermenting stage because it smells beautiful!!
In the vineyard: Pruning at Elevation vineyard on a sunny day. It's fresh, beautiful, peaceful, just amazing!
Favorite car to drive: Jaguar

Meet the Crew: Luke

2010-08-02T16:29:00.007+12:00

This is Luke. He is in charge of warehouse operations and everything forklift.

Nickname: "Duke"
Motto: "Who dares wins..."
Biggest Fear: Stinky cheese...
Secret Skill: Flying without an engine
Favorite Non-wine Drink: Water from the well in Block 1
Who would you like to have dinner with? My Fiancee
Skill you want to learn: tuoch tuping (touch typing!)
If you had a theme song, one that played every time you walked into a room, one that describes you, what would it be? Song: Pardon me...! Artist: Incubus
Best part about working in a winery? Looking out the window, watching the vineyard through the seasons.
Best part about working with your family? Meal times together at work.

2010 Sauvignon Blanc

2010-07-27T15:06:00.002+12:00

This morning we held the first staff tasting of the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc! The Sauvignon Blanc is the first variety of this vintage to reach its completed state. To create a well-rounded 'Tasting Note' for this new wine, we all got together to share our thoughts and taste buds. A great way to start the morning if you ask me. Now, I can't give away everything that was said about the Sauv (come on, we need to build a little suspense here), but these are a few direct quotes from the staff.

"It's a Carnival of flavours!" "Fresh and Crisp" "Kiwi fruit!!" "Definitely Marlborough"
"Sweet, but tart" "Zingy!" "Elegant finish" "Nice, rich middle palate"

"It's kinda like it just got out of bed and is still in its pajamas. It just needs a moment to brush its teeth, wash its face and stretch before it greets the day."

Boar Competition

2010-07-22T13:12:00.009+12:00

Over the weekend the Tiller family and friends enjoyed a pig on the spit and bonfire beside the river on the Estate. Brad and some friends entered in Marlborough's first ever and now largest Boar slaying competition.

The Hooked on Boars Magazine pig hunting competition was held from the 9th through the 11th of July. Entrants were competing to win a Toyota Hilux as well as nearly $30,000 worth of prizes. The community was invited to the Woodbourne Tavern in Renwick to see the pigs and hear the hunting stories.

The boys caught a 120lb wild Boar, not enough to win the truck, but plenty for a bonfire (and lunch for a week…). Over 100 pigs were caught over the weekend between 500 entries. (Check out the article from The Marlborough Express)

The Boar made for excellent eating with fresh watercress, applesauce and a glass of Isabel Chardonnay.

Keep on Keeping on

2010-07-15T14:46:00.004+12:00

Things are moving along smoothly here at Isabel. Since the wines have finished their ferments and the yeast has settled, the wines are showing their true selves. Pati is now busy assessing the wines and blending them. Some of the tanks may go through a little lees stirring which makes the wine 'creamier' and 'nuttier' and adds roundness as well as 'mouthfeel'. Other tanks (and barrels) have been 'racked'; removing the lees. Jane is constantly working on keeping the barrels in the cellar topped up so the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay do not oxidize.

Luke has already started to order bottles, labels and cases for the new wines. We are hoping to start bottling as early as August!

We have just passed the half-way point in the vineyard. Over 150,000 plants have been pruned, trimmed and wrapped. It's been a big effort, but fortunately the weather has been nice and sunny so we haven't lost many days of pruning to bad weather.

To add to all the excitement, last weekend about 20 sheep escaped from the vineyard! Brad had to dust off his shepherding skills and muster them all back in. He was successful. There have also been some pretty funny stories about the goats taking an interest in pruner's clothing... but I'll save that for another time.

Pinot Noir Update

2010-07-06T14:24:00.005+12:00

Jane and Luke have been working hard to "rack" all the 2010 Pinot Noir. They have taken all the Pinot from the barrels and cleaned out any left over skins and seeds ("racking"). Now they are in the process of putting all the Pinot back into the barrels. It will mature in these old French oak barrels for nearly a year before it is taken out to make room for the 2011 vintage.

Quick Vineyard and Winery Update

2010-06-28T10:32:00.004+12:00

I can't believe we are already at the end of June! Time is flying by and it seems like a good time to update you on the vineyard and winery happenings.

The pruning is well advanced now. Lots of hard work and cold mornings. We have an amazing group of pruners who do a wonderful job. Some people have been coming back each year for the last 5 years to help with the pruning!

In the winery, the wines have finished their ferments. We are starting to see indications of what the 2010 vintage is going to be like. Because the yields were lower this year, we are getting good concentration of flavors and great aromatics! This could be a defining year for Marlborough!

Isabel's Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2010-06-23T12:53:00.011+12:00

Shaking the olives from the tree Catching the olives on nets Olives at the press

Last weekend the whole Tiller family worked long and hard to harvest all the olives for Isabel's 2010 Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The olives came from about 20 trees on the estate, planted by Michael and Robyn 24 years ago.

Many methods were used to shake, smash, and knock the olives out of the trees. "Long, aluminum poles work best," Mike told me. Nets were laid out under the trees to catch all the falling fruit. Then the nets were rolled up and the olives were dumped into large picking bins.

Once all of the olives were off the trees and into bins, they were taken to the press. First ,they were washed to remove any dirt and leaves. Next, the olives were ground into a paste and cold-pressed between porous mats. The oil dripped out and went into a centrifuge to separate any water that may have been left from the wash.

Now the oil is left to settle. In about a month, all the sediment will have sunk to the bottom and we will be left with a beautiful olive oil that is bottled here at the winery. And that is how we get Isabel's Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

The olives are a mix of Frantoia and Verdale and produce a bright green oil. The cool climate make it very peppery which is great for salads, sandwiches, and as a dipping oil.

Latest Reviews

2010-06-09T12:02:00.006+12:00

Looking for a great wine for dinner tonight? Maybe one of these is the perfect match. These are two of Isabel's latest reviews for the 2009 Pinot Gris and 2009 Sauvignon Blanc.

Isabel Pinot Gris 2009

"A stylish wine, with pleasant fruit hinting of lime and peach with a suggestion of mint, a background nuttiness and a firmly structured, dry finish."

Good value

Four stars

http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/food-amp-wine/109731/wine-review-pinot-gris

Isabel Sauvignon Blanc 2009

"Fragrant with overtones of melon, guava and exotic fruit, but also rich with mouthfilling intensity, a suggestion of nuts, honey and a dash of citrus, and a crisp finish."

Good value

Four stars

http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/107603/wine-review-sauvignon-blanc

2010-06-03T11:11:00.003+12:00

We are enjoying a few days of bright sunshine after about 2 weeks of rain. It even ended up snowing a little bit up in the hills surrounding the valley. It was very picturesque. The vines are loving the all the rain and it doesn't seem to bother the sheep at all.

The weather also hasn't stopped our wonderful pruners. They have been working hard and finished Block 3, right in front of the winery, this week. The rows look so nice and tidy.

Counting Sheep

2010-05-26T15:29:00.003+12:00

Sheep in the vines

Winter is approaching which means the sheep have been let loose in the vines. Nearly three hundred of them! They are helping out with the mowing, weeding and (of course) fertilizing.

Mid-fermentation Tasting

2010-05-24T09:55:00.005+12:00

Some of the crew before the tasting

Last week we got together to do a mid fermentation tasting of all the tanks. It was very interesting to see/taste the many flavors. Each sample was from a different tank. And each tank contains juice from a block in the vineyard. These will be blended later to make the final wine.

Pressing Pinot

2010-05-07T13:28:00.004+12:00

Pati shoveling the rest of the Pinot Noir out of the tank

Things are moving along quite smoothly here. All the whites are in tanks and doing their thing. For the last week Pati, Leo, Hannes, and Elena have been pressing pinot noir and getting it into barrels. I managed to catch Pati as she was jumping into this tank, very graceful.

The Weekend The Vines Changed

2010-04-27T11:58:00.004+12:00

Over the weekend the vineyard at Isabel changed colors from bright green to golden yellow. It's stunning here in the early morning and evening. Very cool. Soon the sheep will be let loose to much on the grass and to help prune the leaves back.

2010-04-26T11:16:00.002+12:00

We made it to the end! It was a great harvest. No big problems, excellent flavors in the grapes, and perfect weather! We couldn't have asked for more. Now all of the whites are fermenting and the Pinot Noir is almost ready for pressing. Some of our lovely interns have already left for home and things are slowly returning to their normal pace.

2010-04-08T11:27:00.003+12:00

All the barrels a few days ago

It's another beautiful day here in Marlborough! Lots has been going on in the winery this week. We have taken all of the barrels out of the cellar and cleaned them thoroughly. Luke and Brad took advantage of having an empty cellar and repainted the whole thing. We now have a lovely pink cellar! The barrels have been moved back down now which gives us a little bit more room to bring in the harvested grapes.

The Pinot Noir has been de-stemmed and is going through a cool maceration. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are already being pressed and put into fermentation.

Become a fan of Isabel Estate Vineyard on Facebook and check out more of our photos of 2010 vintage!

First Day of 2010 Harvest

2010-03-30T11:50:00.003+13:00

Wow! It's harvest time again! We began the 2010 harvest yesterday with Pinot Noir. It was a beautiful day. Bright and sunny. This is a picture of the first hand harvested bin full of Pinot grapes going into the de-stemmer. It looks like it is going to be another great harvest. We have an awesome group of interns from all over the world and everyone is excited!

A Warm Welcome to Spring!

2009-09-09T16:03:00.002+12:00

Currently we are running about 300 Merino Sheep in the vineyard, even a few lambs pop up now and again to check us out. They are happy as Larry eating away on as much fresh grass as they desire. Keeping the grass short is critical as we approach the frost prone weeks ahead.
Lambs, Dafodills, and the Spring breeze....ah... see you later Winter!

Is Pinot Gris a She?

2009-08-12T10:24:00.005+12:00

We found this write up on the Isabel Pinot Gris 2008 in the Capital times, the local Wellington Magazine keeping you in the know. We then found ourselves wondering whether all wine should be referred to as a she.. Although wine certainly has feminie and masculine qualities, it seems strange to label it with a gender. What do you think?

Isabel 2008 Pinot Gris is a more feminine wine than the Aussie reds.
Isabel kept changing in the glass as she opened up. At first there were aromas of granny smith apples and figs, then as we swirled and sniffed we got more floral and stone fruit fragrances.
The flavours in the glass were heavenly: honeyed peaches with crisp acidity and a hint of the savoury from extended time of yeast lees, which has created a wine with nice weight and texture. Try this versatile wine for yourself – we had it with mango chicken salad, smoked salmon, and oven-roasted tomatoes with bacon.

Shower time.

2009-08-10T11:11:00.008+12:00

As they say, winemaking is 90% cleaning, 10% winemaking. Currently the barrels are having a good ole clean, the 2008 Pinot Noir has come out to settle in tank for another year, and these barrels are being cleaned for the 2009 Pinot Noir to go in! The process requires each barrel to be brought up from the underground cellar to have a hot 'shower head' like device spin hot hot water inside the barrel for about 15 minutes. Some of the barrels are as old as 1998. They add beautiful characters to the wine.
This morning it was about 3'c outside. Good work Luke.

Isabel Family Vineyard

2009-06-29T16:54:00.002+12:00

Wedding Bells??

2009-06-25T14:16:00.003+12:00

Isabel's 2008 Sauvignon Blanc featured in summer issue of the BC Liquor Stores Taste Magazine on page 93. An article about wedding gifts by Judith Lane:

This racy Sauvignon Blanc brims
with bright citrus, tropical fruit,
gooseberry and grassy notes.
Soft, round and shot through
with minerals and refreshing
acidity, pair with goat’s cheese
salad or Asian dishes.

Hurrah!

2009-06-24T16:12:00.007+12:00

Voted Best Import...

The Isabel Noble Sauvage has been awarded 95/100 points!
An amazing sweet white made from
Malborough sauvignon blanc grapes. Full
golden/amber colour. Complex bouquet
with passionfruit uppermost. Tropical in the
mouth, with good acidity cutting through
the sweetness and powerful fruit.
Truly exotic.

Huon Hooke
Good Living
Tastings
June 23, 2009

Almost wish it was snow...

2009-06-16T13:17:00.004+12:00

Brrr, its a frosty 5 °C outside...
"3 layers of clothing are recommended to remain comfortable in these conditions."
Coutesy of the metservice, keeping us updated on current conditions!
The pruners are nevertheless keeping their hoods up today in these chilly conditions and battling on through the day. Those men deserve as DB.
Pruning is expected to finish up in the next few weeks. Phew!
Stay warm, from us at Isabel.

HARVEST 2009!

2009-05-15T16:14:00.003+12:00

Thats a wrap! Harvest commenced Friday 8th of May.

Goat Amoungst It

2009-05-01T17:28:00.019+12:00

*
Isabels Noble Sauvage 2006 enjoyed a feature in this months Gourmet Traveller magazine pairing Sauvignon Blancs with Australian Goats cheese.
This is a very unique 'sauterne style dessert wine' only made when the season allows, as we dont use any 'botrytis inducing sprays'. 100% organic this wine offers a unique approach to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Fruit was gently whole bunch pressed, utilising a 24-hour cycle - thus preserving concentration and ‘luxurious’ characters that developed in the fruit over the long ripening season. Juice was cool tank settled overnight (7 degrees Celsius) to retain pure varietal character prior to being racked to French barrels. Juice underwent a very slow and long spontaneous fermentation, 18 months in fact, in 50% new and 50% second year oak. Frequent stirring on the lees added further texture, body, length and mouth feel to the final assemblage.

The four-year drought since the last vintage is suddenly forgotten - this wine could make up for anything! Aromas are intense and alluring… concentrated nectar, pure honeysuckle and notes of truffle – all very rich without being cloying thanks to the classic Sauvignon Blanc spine of acidity. The palate is generous and weighty yet wonderfully soft and rounded. Layers include a mid palate of tangy citrus and minerality combined with ripe apricots and tropical fruit flavours. Elegant, complex and balanced… Love at first sip – a delicious pairing to any dessert but delectable with a blue cheese and pear tart.

*Click the article to see in full size.

Stud wanted

2009-05-01T17:24:00.006+12:00

This is our lovely Hazel, she is the matriach of our cheese making dynasty and she is looking for loooove!
She likes climbing hills, chewing daisies and long walks along the river bed.
She is seeking a short term thing with a good looking Angora or Cashmere gentleman.

If you know of any possible suitors please don't hesitate to contact us here at the winery.

Little bottles, Big Cat?

2009-05-01T16:47:00.005+12:00

Either a) Fritz the winery cat has been supersized...or b) they are just very small bottles.. Well, the answer is b). (but now that I look at Fritz..he has been packing on that winter coat lately....).
Yes, Isabel has released some 'pint sized' 375ml bottles of the 2006/2007 Sauvignon Blanc and 2007 Pinot Noir. Great for Picnics and a hit with the restaurants!

Pinot Gris Tasting

2009-04-24T09:49:00.009+12:00

Claire Fensom ~ Our lovely Marketing Administrator setting up for the tasting!

This week we tasted a selection of local Pinot Gris from '07 & '08. The tasting included Isabel Oenologist Patricia Miranda, the whole Tiller family, Claire of course, Jess visiting from Providores Restaurant in London, our 2009 interns (Luigi, Anne-Sophie, Daniel & Remy).
Purpose being to explore the up and coming Pinot Gris varietal that is becoming ever popular worldwide. It was exciting to see so many different styles, certainly something out there for everyone!

We were thrilled with how Isabel compared and we're defiantly looking forward to more consistently great Pinot Gris from Marlborough... and the next tasting of course!

Head down to your local wine shop and find a beaut today,

Cheers!

Just taken this afternoon...

2009-04-20T18:36:00.003+12:00

Isabel is loving the Autumn colours!

Manning The Stand!

2009-04-17T18:09:00.005+12:00

Classic Fighters Airshow 2009

Jane and Caitlin gaining some Isabel fans at the airshow last weekend.
The 3 day event at Omaka Aerodrome proved to be a great success, fun event for families and flying fantatics!

Isabel's First Blog!

2009-04-17T17:34:00.001+12:00

So Isabel has finally entered the blog-o-sphere...!
Despite our traditional 'low intervention' style of winemaking, we will endeavour to keep this updated with pictures, and new posts of the ongoings in and around the estate!

How exciting, harvest has once again pounced upon Marlborough with a flurry of harvesters, trucks, and tractors! We Began here at Isabel by handpicking the Pinot Noir on Monday 6 April, since then we have brought in the Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling! (Riesling today infact!)

Its looking to be another fantastic vintage for 2009 ~ Long slow ripening which is ideal for intensifying flavours and lengthening palate weight.

So here's to another great season!