NAUTILUS

These days Nautilus Estate is a premium wine brand on a world stage. Established in Marlborough in 1985, the success of this boutique family-owned winery is attributable in no small part to the stability of their talented and vastly experienced winemaking team. The value of knowledge accumulated over time regarding specific sites and their idiosyncracies is key. Indeed, longevity is where it’s at, with winemaker Clive Jones having ticked off 18 years on the Nautilus clock, while assistant winemaker Brett Bermingham and viticulturist Mike Collins have run their respective roles with finesse for the last 10. Fruit is harvested from over 70 hectares spread across six different Marlborough sites, providing the team with a diverse range of varietal parcels to draw upon. At Nautilus modern technology combines with traditional techniques in two small-scale, state-of-the-art wineries – a dedicated Pinot Noir facility established in 2000 and a new white wine winery completed in 2006. French oak is used extensively during fermentation and maturation. Small scale, high tech, the intent is serious, and so are the wines.

Clive Jones joined Nautilus Estate as Winemaker in August 1998, and the 2011 season was his 20th vintage making wines from the Marlborough region. And he doesn't look a day over 21 himself!

Prior to joining Nautilus, Clive worked as an industrial chemist. Deciding the wine industry was perhaps a tastier career choice, he completed a degree in wine science by correspondence from Charles Sturt University. He then spent six years absorbing New Zealand’s Dalmatian wine heritage at Selaks Wines in Auckland before making the change to Marlborough’s better climate and more relaxed lifestyle.

Clive has overseen the development of the Nautilus Pinot Noir programme, including the design and operation of our specialised Pinot Noir Winery. As part of this, Clive made a pilgrimage to Burgundy in 2004 to work a vintage at renowned producer Domaine Dujac.

With a consistent pedigree going back to Clive’s first year at the estate, Nautilus Pinot Noir is today considered a Marlborough benchmark.

Clive is equally passionate about the other varietals he produces at Nautilus and designed the Nautilus White Wine Cellar in 2006 with Marlborough’s flagship white varietal, Sauvignon Blanc, firmly in mind. He more recently worked to refine the Nautilus Chardonnay style through low yields, wild ferments and minimal malolactic fermentation, which has resulted in a more complex and elegant style.

Clive is a respected member of the local winemaking community, recently joining the board of Wine Marlborough. He also represents the region on various panels and debates both locally and overseas.