Working with nature, rather than against it, is one of the key principles of this thriving family-run operation, where grapes are nurtured from the soil right through to the bottle.

From Golden Bay to Bluff, Awareness Today captures the interest of those who are aware of the impact their lifestyle has on their body and the planet around them – and who want to make lifestyles choices with this in mind. The publication’s content directly reflects this, with topical and relevant health, lifestyle and ecological information from Christchurch and abroad.

To read the entire article click here.

Daniel Schwarzenbach and his wife Ursula produce one of this country’s most striking Pinot Gris.  In the classic mould of Alsace, Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Gris is typically a powerful, high-alcohol wine, enticingly floral, with a strong surge of peach, pear and spice flavours, hints of apple strudel and honey, gentle sweetness and lovely vibrancy and richness.

Michael Cooper than proceeds to recommend Dry River, Greystone, Terrace Edge and Villa Maria Pinot Gris before closing the article with high praise for Nelson’s Waimea Estate Pinot Gris .

Read the entire article here.

It’s a great read – thank you Her Magazine for choosing Blackenbrook as your winery guest for this issue.

Read entire article here.

If it wasn’t for people like us playing with new varietals, we’d still be drinking Muller-Thurgau,” said Trinity Hill’s John Hancock when recently accepting a major award for his tempranillo.

The first “new” variety to spring to mind is Gruner Veltliner.  Jo Burzinska then goes on to talk about Sauvignon Gris and Muscat, recommending our Blackenbrook Muscat 2010 as a prime example:

Muscat, which makes styles ranging from fortified to fizzy, has been lurking in our vineyards for some time. However, it’s yet to hit the big time, which is a shame when you try a seriously good specimen like this. The spice and florals on its lightly aromatic nose lead into a sleek, still and subtly sweet wine in which pure peach fruit is cut with a cleansing note of lemon bitters.

The white varietes Arneis,  Pinot Blanc and Verdelho are also on the list,  followed by the reds Cienna,   St Laurent,  Tempranillo,  Sangiovese, Montepulciano and Dolcetto – very inspiring reading!

Read the entire article here.

One of the most exciting new wines to be released in Nelson for some time is a variety new to this region, Muscat. Blackenbrook Vineyards planted what they believe to be the first Muscat vines in the South Island a few years ago and this first release is stunning.

As the Nelson region is considered a cool climate region for grape growing, planting the vines was very much experimental, but the results have been outstanding and reinforce this region’s ability to extract wonderful flavours from aromatic wine varieties.

This is a highly aromatic wine, bursting with rich, floral and spicy turkish delight and orange blossom aromas that are reflected in the sweet, intense flavours.

Delightfully balanced with soft minerality and tantalising ginger spice flavours in the very long finish with ripe acidity that leaves your mouth watering for more of this luscious delight.

I will be drinking plenty of this fantastic wine in the coming summer months.

Read entire article here.

The Nelson Region is a strong silent type. Not as flamboyant as Central Otago and dwarfed in size by its neighbour, Marlborough. Perhaps it’s because every Nelson winery is family owned and they simply go about making good wines. And there’s no doubt Nelson produces some of the country’s most irresistible and gratifying wines.

As we embrace and celebrate regionality, it is fitting to pay more attention to this little region renowned for gloriously perfumed aromatics and sumptuously delicious Burgundy varieties.

I love the precision and clarity of flavours from the Plains where some of the most intensely flavoured Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling come from. Yet I equally adore the more textural wines from the Hills.

Seifried Estate’s Gewürztraminers and Rieslings are meltingly delicious, and so are Blackenbrook’s Aromatics, which show lovely perfume and richly textured mouthfeel. Then there’s the indigenous yeasts and barrel-fermented style of Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris which display astonishing complexity and silkiness.

Read entire article here.

The tour started at Richmond Plains with a fantastic tasting of this year’s tank samples and bottled Blanc de Noir.

It was back in the van at 11am and off to Blackenbrook Wines at Tasman, where co-owner and winemaker Daniel Schwarzenbach showed us around, talked about how he makes wine and let my bunch of wine lovers taste some of his product, comparing finished wines with new-season tank samples.

The group were astounded at Daniel’s passion and dedication to quality in everything he does. For me, Blackenbrook’s 2008 Reserve Gewurztraminer was the best match with the still-warm home-baked bread Ursula Schwarzenbach produced for us.

The next stop was lunch with Tim and Judy Finn at Neudorf Vineyard, followed by a comprehensive winery tour with Chris Seifried at Seifried Estate.

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He was impressed with Nelson‘s gorgeous backdrop, the warm hospitality he experienced at Warwick House and the unforgettable dinner at Hopgoods Restaurant.  He chose wines from Blackenbrook, Seifried and Neudorf vineyards, matching Kevin Hopgood’s menu perfectly.

Read the entire travel review here.

It looked like an extremely well thought out winery that Daniel could run mostly on his own with just one other person to help him in peak times.

…and the resulting Gewurztraminer 2008, Pinot Gris 2009 and Blackenbrook Riesling 2007:

Wow – three awesome aromatic styles in a row but there was more to come.

Blackenbrook Chardonnay 2008 is creamy and buttery with a touch of pineapple and tropical guava and a savoury backbone.  I wrote ‘Good Chard!’ and noted it was rather easy drinking.

Blackenbrook Montepulciano 2008 is vivid in colour and the viscous texture is layered with tannins. A floral wine with hints of violets, briar rose hips and an earthy brambly depth, it has  creamy oak with a savoury finish.

Thank you, Sue – hope your MG made it back to Auckland safely and please call in again on your next road-trip!

Read Sue Courtney’s entire article here.

He was blown away by the quality of the new juices at Neudorf, Rimu Grove, Seifried Estate and here at Blackenbrook:

I can tell you that this year, I have tasted some of the most flavoursome juice I have ever tasted from Nelson.

Not only were the harvested grapes in pristine condition, but they were packed with incredibly pure varietal flavours.

We also love his comment on his visit to our winery:

Daniel Schwarzenbach from Blackenbrook Vineyards had a smile from ear to ear as he proudly let me taste juice that had such delightful balance and flavour purity that you could almost bottle it now as grape juice – something I would not normally be saying about wine grape juice.

Read the entire article here.