The Moutere Valley

Nelson’s Moutere Hills are sited in the centre of the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. Mountain ranges to the east, south and west provide a rain shadow effect, while Tasman Bay to the north ensures a maritime climate.

Our home plantings spill down a gentle north-facing slope overlooking a side branch of the Moutere Valley. The valley floor is home to hop gardens, orchards, berry farms and new vineyards.

Nelson often has the highest sunshine hours in the country; summer growing months are warm and relatively dry, with the possibility of rain increasing towards Autumn. Night temperatures cool markedly towards vintage, but damaging frosts are rare.

our soil

Great wines can only come from healthy soils. Healthy soil is our greatest vineyard asset.

Our vines are planted in deep clay gravel soils, laid down by ancient, long melted glaciers. These kaolinitic clay soils have a naturally low fertility and a sandy loam topsoil with an ever expanding organic matter content. They have a great water holding capacity which allows us to dry farm our vines through the sunny Nelson summer. We compost our grape skins and seeds and return them back to the vineyard floor to boost soil biodiversity and complete the nutrient cycle.

1978

Home Block

This is where it started. In 1978 Tim and Judy bought this block from descendants of the original German settlers who arrived in 1842. Source of the original Moutere Chardonnay, varietal mix tinkered with in the early 1990’s and 2000’s

Stats: 5.43 ha. 45% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay, 12% Pinot Gris. Originally planted in 1978. . Moutere Clay Gravel. Dry farmed. Organically run.

Wines:

Home Block Moutere Chardonnay

Home Block Moutere Pinot Noir

Home Block Moutere Pinot Gris 

1999

Tom's Block

The next paddock over, purchased from neighbours Tom and Norma Francis in 1999. 

Stats: 4.32 ha. 100% Pinot Noir. Planted 1999. Fertile topsoil over deep Moutere Clay Gravel. North Facing. Site of the original “shell trials.” Dry farmed. Organically run.

Wines:

Tom's Block Moutere Pinot Noir

1999 - 2018

Rosie's Block

Purchased in 1999 from the Beuke family, also descendants of the original German settlers. Around the corner up Rosedale Rd, the block overlooks our home vineyard and is named after our daughter. Bordered on the south by a mature, QE2 covenanted block of native bush and our recent wetland plantings extending down a gully into the vineyard - it is a strikingly beautiful vineyard.

Stats: 7.76 ha. 78% Chardonnay, 14% Riesling, 8% Albariño. Originally planted in 1999, added to in 2003, 2009, 2013 and 2018. North facing Moutere Clay Gravels.  Organically run.

Wines:

Rosie's Block Moutere Chardonnay

Rosie's Block Amphora Chardonnay

Rosie's Block Moutere Albariño

Rosie's Block Moutere Riesling Dry

Rosie's Block Moutere Riesling

Climate & Conditions

Coordinates: 41°14’S, 173°E
Altitude: 25-110m
Heat degree days: 1147
Annual sunshine hours: 2430
Annual rainfall: 962mm
Max Jan daily temperature: 22°C
Harvest: mid March – mid April 

“Neudorf are one of my favourite New Zealand producers, and though the wines are generally tasted blind, it is hard to separate the wonderful Finn family, and their vision writ large in their wines, from the consumption and assessment of their wines. Late 70s pioneers of Nelson, they continue to excel."

Mike Bennie, The Wine Front AUS