Nautilus Cuvée NV

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.

All grapes are hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. The individual base wines are fermented with a selected champagne yeast and left on lees until undergoing a full malolactic fermentation in the traditional Champenoise style. Blending involves a reserve wine (5% - 15%) to add complexity. The blend is then bottled and undergoes a secondary fermentation before being aged for a minimum of 36 months prior to disgorging and release.