Nautilus Clay Hills Vineyard is located on the ridge that divides the Brancott and Omaka Valleys within the Southern Valleys sub region of Marlborough. The vineyard is divided into 6 discrete blocks with differing aspects and slopes and an elevation between 100 and 130 m. Normally picked midway through the Pinot Noir harvest window this vineyard has rapidly become the cornerstone block for Nautilus Pinot Noir where the clay based soils contribute a silken texture and fine grained tannins. The vines are trained to a VSP trellis system with a mixture of cane and spur pruning, with a target yield of 1.5 - 2.0 kg per vine.

The fruit was hand-picked and chilled overnight before de-stemming to tank incorporating a 25% whole bunch component. After a 10 day cold soak the wine completed a spontaneous fermentation and remained on skins for a total of 18 days before pressing. After 24 hours settling, the wine was racked to 228 L French Oak barriques (33% new) and matured for 11 months before clarification and bottling.

This wine has aromas of raspberries, plums and toasted spice. The mid palate shows fruit sweetness, while firm, fine grained tannins contribute to a lingering elegant finish.