In Pursuit of Place
Black Estate is a family-owned, organic and biodynamic winery in the Omihi sub-district of the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury — a place of limestone hills, clay slopes, and some of New Zealand's most exciting cool-climate wines. [^243^] Founded in 1993 by restaurateur Russell Black, the estate was purchased in 2007 by the Naish family, led by winemaker Nicholas Brown and general manager Penelope Naish. [^240^] [^253^] Nicholas had worked in Waipara since 2005 with pioneer Danny Schuster, and saw the region's potential to make wines of great quality. [^253^] Since taking over, the family has expanded the vineyard holdings to 24 hectares across three distinct sites — Home, Damsteep, and Netherwood — all certified organic by BioGro and Demeter-certified biodynamic. [^243^] [^261^] Nicholas's winemaking is defined by a "hands-off" approach: wild yeast fermentation using a unique pied de cuve technique for each vineyard block, no fining or filtration for most wines, and minimal sulphur. [^253^] In 2022, Nicholas was named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine — a recognition of his relentless pursuit of place and purity. [^249^] The estate is also home to a two-hatted restaurant and a striking long black barn that houses the winery, tasting room, and the family's home. [^240^]
From Danny Schuster's Cellar to Three Hillside Vineyards
Black Estate was originally founded in 1993, when restaurateur Russell Black planted an 8-hectare Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyard in Omihi, with assistance from Danny Schuster — one of the pioneers of the Waipara Valley. [^240^] There were 3.8 hectares of Chardonnay and 3.8 hectares of Pinot Noir, all planted on their own roots. [^240^]
Nicholas Brown had been working in Waipara since 2005, making wines for Danny Schuster after completing a post-graduate diploma in viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University and doing vintages at Wither Hills, as well as stints in Italy and America. [^253^] In 2007, Nicholas and his family — led by his father-in-law, Rod Naish, a fifth-generation horticulturist from North Otago — purchased Black Estate from its founder. [^253^] [^261^]
The property had a 4-hectare piece of unplanted land in a valley above the original vineyard that Nicholas thought had the best potential for growing grapes. [^253^] He planted four more clonal varieties of Chardonnay (1 hectare) and six different clones of Pinot Noir (2 hectares), plus half a hectare of Chenin Blanc (three clones) and a third of a hectare of Cabernet Franc (three clones). [^253^]
After buying Riesling and Pinot Noir fruit from the Hull family's Damsteep Vineyard and Netherwood Vineyard (5–10km up the road), the family purchased those two sites in 2012 and 2015 respectively. [^261^] Netherwood was originally established by Danny Schuster and Russell Black in 1986. [^261^] The vineyard holdings now total 24 hectares across three distinct hillside sites. [^240^]
"We saw Waipara as an emerging district… and we could see a real potential for the region to make wines of great quality."
— Nicholas Brown
Three Sites, Clay & Limestone — Each with Its Own Voice
Black Estate's three vineyards are located in the Omihi sub-district of the Waipara Valley, each on north-facing clay and limestone hillsides with distinct soil compositions. [^243^] The clay-rich soils give the wines aroma and suppleness, while the limestone imparts structure and minerality. [^243^] The vineyard locations are well-drained and typically do not require irrigation. [^243^]
The Home block features sedimentary clays on a north-facing slope. [^253^] It was already planted with Mendoza clone Chardonnay and the 10/5 clone of Pinot Noir when the Naish family purchased the estate. [^253^] In 2011, Nicholas planted the block on the top with additional Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Pinot Noir. [^240^] The Home Bottom Block — ungrafted vines planted in 1994 on sedimentary clay with an A horizon of dark organic matter, then fine clay, then seams of calcium carbonate at 1.5 metres — yields just 1.5 tonnes per hectare and produces wines of extraordinary purity. [^240^]
The Damsteep vineyard consists of predominantly limestone-derived soils that ripen individual sections of the vineyard differently. [^253^] Nicholas aims his viticulture at a number of individual parcels, allowing him to make two separate single-vineyard wines from the same block. [^253^] "For the Pinot Noirs, (the soils) give a really silken, quite expansive palate weight, but with fine minerality." [^253^] The vineyard is part of the Spye farm established in the 1920s, with steep slopes that give the site its name. [^240^] Black Estate has 16 hectares here, of which 7.5 hectares is vineyard: Riesling and Pinot Noir on Waipara clay, with some limestone outcrops. [^240^]
The Netherwood vineyard sits on a combination of calcareous clay fan, mudstone, and sandstone soils. [^253^] It was planted by Russell Black and Danny Schuster in 1986, went into receivership in 2009, and is now back in top condition. [^240^] It is unirrigated, with 4.5 hectares of vines on the 10.5-hectare property. [^240^] The complexity of the soils from these three vineyards provides Nicholas with isolated and unique characters for him to make wine from — and it is for this reason that Black Estate chose to utilise biodynamics to manage their vineyards. [^253^]
The original estate. Sedimentary clays on a north-facing slope. [^253^] Ungrafted vines planted 1994 on dark organic matter over fine clay with calcium carbonate seams. [^240^] Additional plantings in 2011: Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir. [^240^] Being converted to high trellis for year-round sheep grazing. [^240^]
Predominantly limestone-derived soils that ripen individual sections differently. [^253^] 7.5 hectares of vineyard on 16 hectares total. [^240^] Riesling and Pinot Noir on Waipara clay with limestone outcrops. [^240^] Steep slopes give the site its name. Allows two separate single-vineyard wines from the same block. [^253^]
Originally planted 1986 by Danny Schuster and Russell Black. [^240^] [^261^] Unirrigated. 4.5 hectares of vines on 10.5 hectares. [^240^] Calcareous clay fan, mudstone, and sandstone soils. [^253^] Back in top condition after receivership. A site of genuine complexity and character.
All three vineyards certified organic by BioGro (No.5202) and Demeter-certified biodynamic. [^243^] [^261^] Converted after purchase. No synthetic chemicals. Biodynamic preparations, compost, cover crops, and biodiversity central to the approach. [^243^]
Pied de Cuve, Wild Yeast & No Fining
Nicholas Brown's winemaking is a masterclass in minimal intervention designed to let the character of the fruit and the terroir shine. [^243^] All wines are fermented using ambient, or "wild," yeasts — but Nicholas takes this further with a unique pied de cuve technique he learned from Mike Weersing at Pyramid Valley. [^253^]
"Mike showed me how to inoculate each ferment with its own specific vineyard yeast culture," Nicholas explains. [^253^] About a week before harvest, he picks a bucketful of bunches from each block, crushes them, and leaves them to start fermenting in the vineyard for an hour or so. [^253^] He then strains out the macerated juice, transfers it into separate replicates, and monitors it over the week. "This can tell us a lot about what's going on in the vineyard in that season." [^253^]
When the block is harvested, he takes out a portion of the juice, warms it up, and adds one of the yeast replicates started the week before — "which makes a kind of yeast bomb, which then gets added back to the rest of the juice." [^253^] The result: all ferments go through to dryness more smoothly, with far less reduction than in the past. [^253^] "Yeast does alter the flavour of wine, a lot," Nicholas says. "If we can get yeasts from each specific site to ferment each wine, then it helps to capture the site and season a whole lot better." [^253^]
The majority of Black Estate's wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, preserving their natural texture, depth, and flavour. [^243^] Minimal amounts of sulphur dioxide are used for preservation at bottling, but the overall approach is to reduce additives as much as possible. [^243^] Nicholas is adamant that this complicated, fastidious process provides him with the ability to fully express each Black Estate vineyard in a precise and honest way. [^253^]
2022 New Zealand Winemaker of the Year
In 2022, Nicholas Brown was named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine — the highest honour in the country's wine industry. [^249^] The award recognised not just technical skill, but a philosophy: "producers who were looking at making wine really expressive of their site." [^249^] Nicholas himself noted that the organic aspect of the finalists was significant. "We became certified organic because we wanted to make sure our customers knew we were doing what we said," he explained. "The day we were able to put our signs up in our vineyard and say we're certified organic, the vineyard team and the winery team — everyone got a lift." [^249^] For Nicholas, the connection between vineyard and glass is everything. "If you can get the right ingredients into the winery… because that most clearly expresses place." [^249^] This is not winemaking as manufacturing. It is winemaking as translation — converting the language of soil, season, and site into the language of wine.
A Family, A Barn, A Restaurant, A Way of Life
Black Estate is a family affair in the truest sense. Nicholas and Penelope Naish live at Netherwood with their two children, Sylvia and Arthur. [^261^] Pen's father Rod is a fifth-generation horticulturist from North Otago. Her mother Stacey provides much family support. [^261^] The winery, tasting room, restaurant, and the family's home are all combined in a very stylish long black barn designed by Pen's cousin, Richard Naish — constructed of local pine, its modern lines blending into the landscape. [^240^]
"Now we are in hospo," says Pen — the restaurant has really taken off. [^240^] It is a two-hatted establishment that showcases local, organic, and seasonal produce, much of it sourced from biodynamic and organic suppliers across the region. [^241^] The goal is to celebrate the whenua — the land — by cooking and creating with food made and grown from the backyard. [^261^] Suppliers include Little Owl BD Farm, Streamside Organics, Kings Truffles, Little Goat Farm Dairy, Milmore Downs, Wairiri Buffalo Cheese, and many more. [^261^]
The cellar door is open seven days in summer, Thursday to Monday in winter, for tastings and lunch. [^241^] Dogs and bicycles are welcome. [^241^] Private tours and tastings at the Damsteep vineyard are offered in summer — a special behind-the-scenes experience for those curious to learn more. [^241^] The estate also offers a B&B for visitors who want to immerse themselves in the Omihi Valley. [^241^]
Nicholas's vision is clear: "We eventually want our wines to have all the hallmarks of not only Waipara, but more importantly for them to express their own unique Black Estate character." [^253^] This is a winery that understands that place is not just geography — it is people, history, soil, and the slow accumulation of knowledge that comes from working the same land year after year.
"The whole idea with the winemaking is to try and get the vineyard to give a real expression of itself, in the wine, whatever that may be."
— Nicholas Brown
The Black Estate Range
Black Estate produces a focused portfolio of certified organic and biodynamic wines from its three Omihi Valley vineyards. The core range centres on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling — wines defined by structure, texture, and clarity. [^245^] The style emphasises balance, natural acidity, and site expression. [^245^] Nicholas also produces Pét-Nat from each vineyard, a Chenin Blanc, and has recently added Pinot Gris and Viognier from the leased Sky Punch vineyard. [^240^] All wines are wild yeast fermented, mostly unfined and unfiltered, with minimal sulphur. [^243^] Prices are approximate and in NZD.