Isabel Estate

Isabel Estate was established by Mike & Robyn Tiller in 1982 for the production of premium classic grape varieties in Marlborough, New Zealand's largest wine area situated at the top of the South Island. Prior to the 1994 vintage, Isabel Estate supplied Marlborough's leading wine producers - including Cloudy Bay - with grapes, but since then they have produced their own single vineyard wines.

The wines are now made by Mike Tiller himself, with assistance from Chilean oenologist Patricia Miranda. Located in the Wairau Valley area of Marlborough, Isabel Estate benefits from extensive sunshine hours combined with a long, cool growing season. The site itself is unusual for Marlborough, combining free-draining gravels with a narrow layer of clay in the subsoil, preventing excess water loss from the gravel.

Concentration is achieved through densely planted vines, double the usual number in Marlborough. Sustainable viticultural practices are used, including mulching and organic fertilisers to maintain soil nutrition. The cool dry climate allows sprays to be kept to a minimum.

From the outset, Isabel set a new trend among Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc producers, a style now being adopted elsewhere. Twenty percent of the hand harvested fruit, is fermented in small french oak barrels to give a subtle creamy weave to the palate.