Global recgonition for organic Clayvin Vineyard Wines

Global recognition for wines produced from organic Clayvin Vineyard in Marlborough, now owned by Giesen Wines

11 June 2015 – The prized organic Clayvin Vineyard in Marlborough, owned by Giesen Wines, is growing its reputation on the global stage for producing ultra premium, award winning wines.

Giesen purchased the coveted 13.4ha vineyard earlier this year, after sourcing its grapes from 2011 and leasing it since 2013. Developed in 1991, Clayvin was Marlborough’s first commercial hillside vineyard. Wholly organic, the block comprises 7.8ha of Pinot Noir vines, 3.36ha of Chardonnay, 1ha of Syrah, and another hectare of younger Sauvignon Blanc vines.

The latest in a string of accolades are awards from Decanter, one of the world’s largest and most influential wine competitions, and the International Wine Challenge (IWC).

The 2015 Decanter Wine Awards have paid homage to wines produced from the Clayvin Vineyard with Giesen Single Vineyard Selection Clayvin Syrah 2012 awarded a trophy and gold medal (New Zealand Red Rhone Varietals over 15 pound category). It was the first time a Marlborough Syrah has picked up this trophy and follows a trophy win for the 2011 vintage at last year’s Royal Easter Show.

Giesen The Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay 2013 captured gold at the highly regarded IWC awards, having last year won with the 2012 vintage.

Marcel Giesen says there are a variety of factors that make the Clayvin Vineyard so successful.

“The human inputs into this vineyard are vital. A grape like Syrah can be difficult to ripen in Marlborough and requires meticulous management. High density planting creates competition within each vine, naturally reducing the crop. Together with the scrutiny of the viticulturists, we are able to ensure the vine has the energy to allow the grapes to reach physiological ripeness and optimum flavour profile.

“This, however, comes at a cost with as little as 1kg of fruit eventually coming off the vine compared with normal yields of about 4kg in conventional Marlborough vineyards,” Giesen says.

“It is this attention to detail that the Clayvin Vineyard requires to produce such outstanding wines. It’s not just the vineyard – it’s the sum of all parts.”

The Clayvin Vineyard enjoys its own microclimate.

“The heat generated by the hills in the southern end of the vineyard tends to pool close to the vineyard floor and allows ripening of the lower positioned bunches of grapes which are knee height at just 500mm off the ground compared to the usual 1m-1.5m height. So, they’ll pick heat up more effectively than conventional vineyard.”

The organic nature of Clayvin fits with the growing focus that Giesen Wines are placing on their plantings, with 20% of vineyards now converted or in transition to organic.

“It’s about improving our soil structure and helping the soil to hold onto water and nutrients. If the land is continually replenished, the soil will be healthy, so will the plants and the fruit,” Giesen says.

“We have a responsibility to be kind to the land and it will be kind to us. This is about future generations.”

In line with its soil management strategy, Giesen Wines has introduced a ‘Crawler’ to its vineyards to perform a multitude of tasks including under vine weeding, crop spraying, and trimming.

The Italian whizz replaces the hefty 2.5 tonne tractor previously used and will minimise compaction of soil.

“The rows in these vineyards are only 1.5m wide and the bulkier tractors run right beside the grape vines which can damage the plant’s roots. The surface area of the Crawler’s tracks means a significantly better displacement of weight,” Marcel says.

ENDS

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