Millton Wines

Winery Profile: The Millton Vineyard

The Millton Vineyard is a pioneering winery located in the Gisborne region of New Zealand's North Island. As the country's first certified organic and biodynamic wine estate, Millton is a standard-bearer for natural, terroir-driven winemaking. The winery is celebrated for its range of aromatic white wines, particularly Chenin Blanc and Riesling, as well as its acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

History

The Millton story began in 1984 when James and Annie Millton established their winery on the banks of the Te Arai River near Manutuke, a region with a history of grape growing dating back to the late 1800s. Annie's family had been growing grapes on their Opou property since the 1960s, and after James and Annie returned from working in renowned wine regions of France and Germany, they decided to replant and establish their own winery.

From the beginning, James and Annie were committed to the ancient principles of biodynamic farming. They understood that healthy grapes come from healthy soil and were among the first in the world to embrace this philosophy. Millton received New Zealand's first BioGro organic certification in 1989 and the country's first Demeter biodynamic certification in 1990. Their commitment to these principles has remained unwavering, and they are recognized as a global leader in the field.

Biography

  • James Millton (Co-Founder, Winemaker, and Viticulturist): James is a true pioneer of the natural wine movement and a global authority on biodynamics. He has spent his life working in the wine industry and brings a deep understanding of the land and a minimalist approach to the cellar. He and Annie are responsible for every aspect of the winery, from the vineyard to the bottle.

  • Annie Millton (Co-Founder): Annie, with her family's long history in the region, is the other half of the Millton team. Together, they have built a family-owned and operated wine estate with an enduring legacy.

Technical Details

The Millton Vineyard's technical approach is founded on the belief that the soil and climate are the primary determinants of a wine's character. Their winemaking is an extension of their meticulous work in the vineyard.

Viticulture

  • Certified Organic and Biodynamic: The winery is certified by both BioGro and Demeter. They view the vineyard as a living system and use natural preparations, compost, and animal integration to enhance soil vitality and biodiversity.

  • Terroir: The Millton vineyards—Opou, Te Arai, and the hillside Clos de Ste. Anne—are located in Manutuke. The unique character of the Gisborne appellation is its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, which provides cooling sea breezes and a temperate climate. The soils are a mix of geologically youthful sedimentary soils, with the Clos de Ste. Anne vineyard offering a unique combination of volcanic ash and loam over calcareous clay.

  • Dry Farming: All of the vineyards are dry-farmed, meaning they do not use supplementary irrigation. This forces the vines to grow deep roots, resulting in more concentrated and expressive fruit.

Winemaking

  • Low Intervention: The winemaking process is gentle and precise. Millton prefers to use time and patience to fine the wines rather than technological interventions.

  • Wild Yeast Fermentation: All fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts, which are naturally present on the grapes and in the cellar.

  • Minimal Sulfur: The winery uses minimal amounts of sulfur dioxide to allow the wine to travel and age, but these levels are kept as low as possible.

  • Aging: Wines are aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks and larger format oak barrels to allow the wines to express their terroir without being masked by new oak flavors.

Address

  • The Millton Vineyard: 119 Papatu Road, CMB 66 Manutuke, Gisborne 4053, New Zealand