Nautilus is a small, family-owned winery based in the stunningly beautiful Marlborough region of New Zealand. Family ownership means they have the benefit of generations of experience - owner Robert Hill Smith is a fifth-generation vigneron – and also means that they take a long-term approach. The team is small and hands-on, with everyone fully involved in the winemaking from start to finish.

They began making Nautilus wines in 1985 and specialise in Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Albariño, and ‘Méthode Traditionnelle’ Sparkling Wines, sourcing grapes from carefully selected single-vineyard sites across Marlborough’s Wairau Valley and Southern Valleys. Their estate-grown fruit, small-batch winemaking, and sustainable vineyard practices ensure wines with depth, complexity, and distinct Marlborough character.

With a strong commitment to environmental responsibility, Nautilus is part of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) and employs low-intervention, wild fermentation techniques.

The winery sources grapes from six vineyards across Marlborough's sub-regions, each contributing distinct characteristics to the wines. For instance, Clay Hills Vineyard - situated in the Omaka Valley within the Southern Valleys sub-region - is at an elevation of 120 meters above sea level. The soil here consists of imperfectly drained loess colluvium (clay), which imparts structure and depth to the wines.

By contrast, Renwick Vineyard is located in the Wairau Valley, and features stony, free-draining soils that result in low yields. These conditions contribute to concentrated flavours and a distinct minerality in the wines produced from this vineyard.

As a result, the combination of varied soil types, elevations, and microclimates across these vineyards allows Nautilus Estate to produce wine to harness the different sub-regional flavours of Marlborough's terroirs, resulting in wines with complexity and depth.