| Region of production: | Gisborne GI |
| Winery Location: | Manutuke, Gisborne |
| Year Established: | 1984 |
Vineyard Holdings
30 ha
- Opou Vineyard (8 ha): Gisborne GI. Riesling, Chardonnay, Marsanne, and Syrah on Waihirere heavy silt loam. Planted in 1969.
- Te Arai Vineyard (6 ha): Gisborne GI. Chenin Blanc and Malbec on Waipaoa silt loam. Surrounded on three sides by the Te Arai River. Planted in 1984.
- Riverpoint Vineyard (7 ha): Gisborne GI. Chardonnay, Viognier, Vermentino, Marsanne, Roussanne, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains on Matawhero silt loam.
- Clos Ste. Anne (9 ha): Gisborne GI. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, and Syrah on heavy clay. Includes Naboth’s Vineyard, which was planted in 1989.
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Clos de Ste. Anne Naboth’s Vineyard Chardonnay (Gisborne GI): Inaugural vintage 1985.
- Te Arai Chenin Blanc (Gisborne GI): Fermented and aged in 600-liter oak barrels and stainless steel. Inaugural vintage 1989.
- Clos de Ste. Anne Chenin Blanc (Gisborne GI): Inaugural vintage 2009.
- Clos de Ste. Anne Les Arbres Viognier (Gisborne GI): Inaugural vintage 2005.
- Clos de Ste. Anne Naboth’s Vineyard Pinot Noir (Gisborne GI): Inaugural vintage 1985.
- Clos de Ste. Anne The Crucible Syrah (Gisborne GI): Inaugural vintage 2005.
Average Total Production
- 108,000 bottles
Summary
Widely recognized as Gisborne’s leading producer, Millton was founded by James and Annie Millton in 1984. Annie’s father had cultivated vines on her family’s Opou Homestead since the late 1960s. James and Annie met in the 1970s while James was working for Montana. The young couple gained experience working in Champagne, Bordeaux, and the Rheinhessen, eventually settling in Annie’s native Gisborne to establish Millton. The estate was one of New Zealand’s earliest champions for sustainable viticultural practices, earning organic certification in 1986 and becoming the first practitioner of biodynamics in the southern hemisphere.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Millton is a staunch practitioner of biodynamic viticulture and one of New Zealand’s leaders in the category. All vineyards are dry-farmed. The winery doesn’t shy from more experimental vinification practices, especially in its Libiamo range, where amphorae and extended skin-contact techniques are used.
Producer Website: Millton Vineyards & Winery