An organically farmed Martinborough producer centred on Pinot Noir.
The producer
Fruit is hand-selected and carried in small perforated baskets holding only two layers of grapes. For red wines, the grapes are generally destemmed without crushing, keeping the berries intact; pumping is avoided. White grapes are generally whole-bunch pressed, while Sauvignon Blanc can be partly destemmed and macerated on skins before pressing.
Known for
Intact-berry Pinot Noir
Notable facts
Red-wine fermentation and maceration keep wine on skins for about four to six weeks, with gentle pigeage during fermentation.
After maceration, wine and skins are moved to the press by hand without pumps, lightly pressed, then transferred to French oak barriques.
White wines mature on full lees for several months and are generally filtered and bottled about 10 to 12 months after harvest.
From the atlas
Schubert Wines
An organically farmed Martinborough producer founded by Kai Schubert and Marion Deimling, with Pinot Noir at the centre of its range.
At A Glance
Region
Wairarapa, New Zealand
Founded
1998
Founders
Kai Schubert, Marion Deimling
Vineyard area
14 hectares
Farming
Organic, certified 2013
Pinot Noir range
Block B, Marion’s Vineyard
The Producer
Kai Schubert and Marion Deimling, German graduates of Geisenheim University in viticulture and oenology, established Schubert Wines in 1998. Schubert is owner and director; Deimling is winemaker and viticulturist.
The two vineyards have been farmed organically from the outset and received certification in 2013.
Place
Before settling in New Zealand, Schubert and Deimling travelled through Oregon, California, Australia and parts of Europe in search of a Pinot Noir site. They chose Martinborough in the Wairarapa region.
In spring 1998, they acquired an established Martinborough vineyard and 40 hectares of bare land at East Taratahi, north of Martinborough. Planting followed in 1999 and 2000. Their 14 hectares are closely planted in a traditional European style, producing small crops.
Wines
Block B Pinot Noir draws on five Dijon clones: 115, 667, 777, 114 and 113. The current wine is fully destemmed, cold-macerated and fermented in stainless steel, then kept on skins for three weeks before 15 months in French oak barriques, 30% new.
Marion’s Vineyard Pinot Noir is based predominantly on Pommard and Abel clones, rather than Block B’s Dijon-clone selection. It is fully destemmed, cold-macerated and fermented in stainless steel, with three weeks on skins and 15 months in new and used French oak barriques.
White grapes are generally whole-bunch pressed. Sauvignon Blanc can be partly destemmed and macerated on skins before pressing.
Final Word
For its red wines, Schubert destems without crushing and avoids pumping to limit extraction from the pips. Block B is defined by five Dijon clones and 15 months in French oak.