Old Coach Road Malbec Cabernet Franc 2026

Vineyard: Seifried Clover Road & Brightwater vineyards
Date of Harvest: Early April 2026
pH of Wine: 3.52
T.A of Wine: 6.3g/L
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes
Alcohol: 13%

Our Clover Road vineyard sits alongside the Wairoa River, about 15km from the coast. The very stony, free-draining soils have low water-holding capacity, with large stones helping to retain warmth from the Nelson sun. This vineyard produces fruit with lively character and bright varietal flavour.

Our Brightwater vineyard lies about 15km from the coast and is nestled under the Richmond Ranges on the southern end of the Waimea Plains. The soil is a combination of rocks and river boulders, which is hard on farm equipment but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun and ripening grapes. Low nutrient and water levels in the vineyard help to restrict plant vigour, producing fruit with lively, concentrated flavour. To further enhance aromatics, we remove leaves to allow light penetration and air movement around the fruiting zone.

This easy drinking wine is a blend of two classic varieties. The grape varietal parcels were harvested as they ripened and fermented on their skins separately. Fermentation occurred over a two week period with punch downs occurring twice daily to help build the core structure from which this wine would evolve. The wines were then aged separately in French oak barriques to impart spicy oak flavours, and blended in October 2026.