BLACK ESTATE

Black Estate is a 16-hectare property, of which 8 hectares is vineyard. Planted in 1994, the vineyard rests on a gentle slope of Omihi, Waipara. It is a family-owned vineyard on the warm, sunny slopes of the Waipara Valley, where the vines grow through clay and limestone soils to produce intense wines completely expressive of this site. Since the first harvest in 1999, Black Estate vines have produced complex and elegant fruit with dense weight and considerable length ? hallmarks of the site. To maximise the expression of site they employ considerable handwork throughout the season.

Nicholas Brown

Along with his role at Black Estate, Nicholas crafts wine for selected wineries and vineyards in Waipara Valley, where he has worked since 2002. Nicholas was winemaker at Daniel Schuster Wines between 2006 and 2009 and has learnt much from vintages spent in Marlborough, Chianti, Barolo, Napa and Oregon.