Tasting Note

Immediately complex, the Block 5 bouquet traverses the full and essential spectrum—from green through red to black. A wine of seamless expanse, the palate unfolds with notes of morello cherry, sandalwood, and nutmeg without ever feeling sweet. Silky tannins emerge gracefully, framing a finish of poise and elegance. The harmony between structure and balance ensures effortless aging potential. The aristocratic ease of this expression, as always, reflects the natural harmony between these mature vines and the land that so benevolently sustains them.

Introduction

Founded in 1991 with meticulous site selection and vineyard design, Felton Road is built on a philosophy of integrity and precision. A strict 100% estate-grown policy, together with fully organic and biodynamic viticulture (BioGro and Demeter certified), ensures that fruit arrives at the winery in its purest possible form.

A commitment to hands-off winemaking—gravity flow, indigenous yeasts and malolactic fermentation, and the avoidance of fining or filtration—preserves the truest expression of each site’s terroir. The result is Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir that authentically convey the complexity and individuality of Felton Road’s Bannockburn vineyards.

Gareth King – Viticulturist | Blair Walter – Winemaker | Nigel Greening – Proprietor

Vineyard & Viticulture

Felton Road farms 34 hectares across four properties in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago. Block 5, planted in 1993, lies on a gentle north-facing slope in the heart of The Elms Vineyard. The soils vary along the slope—from heavy loess and silt to clay lakebed deposits and angular schist gravels—providing complexity and depth to the resulting wines.

Meticulous summer management of a single vertical shoot-positioned (VSP) canopy ensures even and early fruit maturity. All vineyard work—shoot thinning, positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning, and harvesting—is done by hand to maintain optimum fruit quality. Cover crops between rows assist vine balance, soil vitality, and biodiversity.

Vintage 2024

Following a wet September, spring began with good soil moisture and timely budburst in early October. Temperatures remained moderate throughout the season, with a warm, dry December ensuring successful flowering and fruit set. Persistent dry conditions through January and February resulted in small berries, yielding fruit with high phenolic concentration and natural complexity.

Judicious irrigation sustained vine health through this extended dry spell, while even, moderate temperatures promoted steady ripening. The hallmark of March 2024 was its cool nights, preserving freshness, acidity, and fruit definition. Pinot Noir was harvested between 19 March and 9 April.

Vinification

Approximately 28% whole clusters were retained, with the remainder gently destemmed directly into open-top fermenters via gravity, avoiding any pumping. The must underwent 8–10 days of cold soaking before natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Gentle hand plunging (up to twice daily) was employed, with a total time on skins of 22–25 days.

After pressing, the wine was transferred by gravity into the underground barrel cellar for maturation in French oak (20% new) over 16 months. It underwent two rackings and was bottled unfiltered and unfined in late August 2025.