“I just love Isabel Estate. It’s an honest and passionate winery that is 100% focused on single estate wines and sustainable winemaking. They know their craft intimately and make the fruit truly shine. Their Sauvignon Blanc is always my first choice for long lunches with family and friends – every single time.”
~ Dave Short
Isabel Estate Winery
In 1980, pilot Mike Tiller flew his plane over a block of land in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley and spied a precious pocket of fertile land. Its calling was so unique that even on the coldest of mornings, it was frost-free and it kept luring his plane back with every journey. Mike’s discovery eventually gave birth to Isabel Estate – a pioneer of the phenomenon that is the Marlborough wine industry.
Named in homage to his mother Isabel, Mike and wife Robyn brought his bird-eye view to the ground and built a winery producing ultra-premium classic varieties that flourish under the Marlborough sun. This estate is renowned today for its magnificent interpretations of the noble varieties of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling – and of course, its flagship Estate Pinot Noir.
Such is the reputation and love of Isabel Estate in New Zealand that its Cellar Door was opened by Sir Edmund Hillary – another Kiwi who soared to great heights. Today Mike and his small team including superstar winemakers Jeremy and Josh go to work every single day among the densely planted vines using sustainable viticultural practices to continue to deliver this peak of excellence in winemaking – wines all about flavor intensity and complexity.
ANDREW CAILLARD, MASTER OF WINE
"Isabel Estate is making some of New Zealand’s most exciting wines. The winemaking team led by Jeremy McKenzie and his offsider Josh Hammond is not just great; it is absolutely exceptional. It is one thing to have superb technical resources and vineyards blocks. It's another - even greater thing - when every detail and decision from harvesting to vinification and classification are made with laser-sharp intuition and handling. There is a reason why Isabel Estate is winning so many awards at the highest level. The single estate wines are not only benchmarks but absolutely delicious to drink and I highly recommend them."
