In 2022, an opportunity presented itself: the chance to take on a lease, or French-style 'fermage', of a small vineyard in Bannockburn. This little postage stamp of land, originally planted by a pair of visionary winegrowers some 20 years prior, spans just 2 hectares and lies 20 km south of our Mount Pisa site, offering a counterpoint to our core offering.
We've named this site Clos Miki, evoking both the French tradition of a small, enclosed vineyard and our own heritage. 'Miki,' is etymologically linked to Kahiwi through the native Mikimiki shrub. Both 'Miki' and 'Kahiwi' can denote 'ridge of a hill' in Te Reo Maori, with 'Kahiwi' also meaning 'heart of a tree.' Thus, Clos Miki stands as our 'little Kahiwi' in Bannockburn, embodying our commitment to place and heritage."
Location and Nuanced Terroir
Situated to the south of the Bannockburn appellation, Clos Miki rests at an altitude of 330-350m. Its north-west facing slope is planted to a density of 7,500 vines per hectare. The soil here tells its own story: fertile clays overlay plates of underlying schist, creating a unique foundation for the vines.
Compared to our Pisa vineyard, Clos Miki presents an alternative aspect of Central Otago. It's cooler and calmer, with harvest typically occurring later than at Pisa. This microclimate, combined with the distinctive soil structure, allows Clos Miki to express an entirely different facet of Central Otago Pinot Noir.
Although more homogeneous than our home site at Pisa, Clos Miki does share some comparable nuances. We observe pronounced variation in the clays from east to west, while a steely, energetic reef of schist and quartz dissects the vine rows mid-slope. This complexity in the terrain has led us to adopt a harvest approach reminiscent of our practices at Pisa, with multiple harvests both across and down the slope.
Clos Miki, Bannockburn
Vine Garden
Far from the maddening crowds, isolated from both neighbouring vineyards and prying eyes, Clos Miki has become our viticultural proving ground. Here, the '10' in our 70/20/10 approach takes centre stage, pushing us beyond our comfort zone and yielding extraordinary results.
We've embraced experimentation wholeheartedly:
Whole bunch components in fermentation
Field blends with some co-planted white grapes
Embracing biological farming practices
These innovations have already produced remarkable outcomes. While the first few vintages will likely contribute to our experimental 'Scordatura' range, we anticipate that a single vineyard offering from Clos Miki is not far on the horizon.
Looking to the Future
Our vision for Clos Miki extends beyond Pinot Noir. Between 2022 and 2023, we planted 0,5ha of Chardonnay, laying the groundwork for an exciting addition to our range. We anticipate the first fruits of this labour to grace our wines sometime before the next turn of the decade.
Clos Miki represents both our commitment to exploring the full potential of Central Otago terroir and our dedication to innovation in winemaking. It is a testament to the diversity of our region and the endless possibilities that arise when tradition meets experimentation.
Bannockburn Vineyard
117A Jocelyn Road
RD2 Bannockburn
Cromwell 9382