The property was bought by the Cowleys in the early 90’s when it was still an unplanted cattle farm, however when they researched the property they discovered it had actually produced wine from 1873 through to 1925 which made it the first commercial winery in Marlborough planted some 100 years before anywhere else!
They planted blocks of the property with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, taking real care to select the best plots for each. They now have around 40h planted on north facing slopes on Greywacke rock overlaid with fine clay soil which is wind-blown over many thousands of years from the valley floor. This fantastic terroir gives the wine a fine minerality, texture and definition.
In the early 2000s both sons became interested in the project, with first Ben giving up his career as a film camera man, retraining in viticulture and moving his young family from Auckland to the property, and then Luc completing his training in oenology, the family decided to release some wine under the original label, Auntsfield Estate.
Since the first release the wines have attracted great attention from consumers and press alike, as the wines offer more complexity and minerality than many of their neighbors.
The Heritage 2005 was made from the smallest bunches/berries selected fruit from the Hawk Hill vineyard which is planted on very old soil in the Southern Valleys, due south of Blenheim and the Wairau river system. Vinified in small barriques, turned on end with their ends removed to make improvised mini fermentors and hand plunged and individually fermented with wild yeast to directly mirror the way their founder David Herd would have made his wines 100 years before. This wine is a living memorial to the founder of the Marlborough wine industry.
These are the wines, vintages and approximate retail prices from Auntsfield Estate we currently have available in the UK:
White Wines
| Label | Name | Size | Approx retail price | Stockist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 2007/8 | Bottle | £12.00 | Find Stockists |
|
Orchard Hill Chardonnay 2008 | Bottle | £13.00 | Find Stockists |
|
Cob Cottage Chardonnay 2006 | Bottle | £15.00 | Find Stockists |
Red Wines
| Label | Name | Size | Approx retail price | Stockist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Hawk Hill Pinot Noir 2006 *2005 Decanter Silver Medal SOLD OUT | Bottle | £17.00 | Find Stockists |
|
Heritage Pinot Noir 2005 | Bottle | £31.00 | Find Stockists |
Rose Wines
| Label | Name | Size | Approx retail price | Stockist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Pretty Horses Pinot Noir Rose 2008 | Bottle | £14.00 | Find Stockists |
Whats going on at the winery
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
- Click here to see pictures and other bits and pieces from the winery.
Meet the winemakers
Luc Cowley...
For a stockist in your area please call us on 01256 897 640
Top five stockists
- Harvey Nichols, London – 020 7235 5000
- The Wig & Mitre, Lincoln - 01522 535 190
- Linton Wines, East Linton, East Lothian - 01620 861 817
- Caviste, Overton, Hants - 01256 770 397
- Cambridge Wine Merchants, Cambridge - 01223 568 993
