Framingham, Marlborough Noble Riesling

Based in Marlborough, Framingham is home to some of the oldest Riesling vines in the region, with their first plantings dating back to 1981. Though still focused on Riesling, they now produce a range of wines from their 19.5-hectare estate vineyard, certified organic in 2014, alongside other carefully selected sites across Marlborough. Their reputation is such, that Jancis Robinson has described Framingham as “one of the finest producers of Riesling, both in and outside Germany”.

Andrew Brown joined Framingham as head winemaker in January 2020, succeeding Dr Andrew Hedley, who had previously made the wines for 18 years. A highly regarded winemaker, Brown worked with Dr Andrew as assistant winemaker for seven years before consulting in famed wine regions such as Oregon, Central Otago, and Alsace. Like his predecessor, Riesling is a great love of Andrew’s and his reverence for the grape is reflected in the remarkable examples he makes for Framingham.

The ‘Classic’ Riesling is made from hand-selected parcels, vinified separately, with a small component aged in neutral oak barrels. The Late Harvest Riesling, sourced exclusively from Framingham’s estate vineyard, blends late harvest parcels and botrytised bunches to produce a rich, opulent wine that is tempered by vibrant acidity.

Framingham’s interpretation of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc puts an exciting spin on this classic style. They ferment a small percentage of the grapes on skins and another in oak and acacia barrels. Once fermentation is complete, these components are blended, and the final wine is aged for six months on its lees to achieve extra layers of flavour and texture.

The hand-picked Pinot Gris, inspired by the wines of Alsace, is harvested later than other varieties and spends seven months on its lees, which gives a wine that offers generous baked apple, quince, and cream flavours. The Pinot Noir is blended from several base wines made from four Wairau Valley sites, including the estate vineyard. It is an elegant style with summer fruit compote and smoky oak flavours. As wine writer Jamie Goode says, “Framingham’s regular range offers some of New Zealand’s best value for money.”