North Canterbury, New Zealand (5) Fernbank
Website: https://www.fernbank.wine/
Helen and Matt Barbour run a viticultural consultancy company (Barbour Vines) as well as some very well situated vines. They are just beginning with their own wine label, Fernbank, which is based on 4 hectares of vines they purchased, and another 4.5 hectares next door purchased by Matt’s parents. When I visited, the wines hadn’t been labelled, but the first release of the Pinot Noir has just been launched.
Matt studied viticulture and enology at Lincoln University, completing a BSc. He worked at Villa Maria in Auckland (this is their main winery), then set off to do some overseas experience, something many Kiwis do as a rite of passage. He met Helen, who is from the UK, when he was working crew on private yachts in Miami. They travelled on the same yacht for two and a half years, where they got together.
Matt was ready to back to the land, and found a harvest job in Marlborough. He stayed there 18 months, and then heard that The Crater Rim were looking for someone. This brought him to North Canterbury, where he worked for 2.5 years at The Crater Rim, and then he moved to Mountford, where he did 5 years, before moving to Greystone in 2021.
In 2020 he bought the vineyard, which is just next to Black Estate, in the foothills of the Teviot Hills. ‘I love what the soils do on this side,’ says Matt. They are rich clays with some limestone content, and this bit of North Canterbury is known as the Golden Mile, because it goes a golden colour in the late autumn. The 8.5 hectares of vines are now farmed organically.
They use 1.5-2 tons for their own project, Fernbank, and sell the rest. We tasted the wines on the Ute Bar: a couch on the back of a truck. This is one to watch.
Fernbank Pinot Noir 2021 North Canterbury, New Zealand
First vintage. Mainly 667 and 115 clones. Made here on site in an open fermenter. Some hand harvest for whole cluster (10-20%) and then machine harvest over the top, and foot stomped. Some post-ferment maceration. This is textural with sweet, lush black cherry and blackberry fruit, with lovely harmony and depth. Fine-grained tannins on the finish. 94/100
Fernbank Pinot Noir 2022 Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand
This is the first year when Matt and Helen Barbour did everything themselves, and it’s really lovely. They started fermentation in the vineyard and it sat for 2 weeks before fermentation started, which caused them some anxiety. But he result is really good. 10% whole bunch. This is lively with lots of energy and bright, focused cherry and raspberry fruit. Good texture and weight with a touch of redcurrant. Sappy and detailed with brightness and some crunchy tannin. 94/100
Fernbank Pinot Noir 2023 Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand
This is vibrant and focused with good acidity under the tart cherry fruit, with nice texture. Notes of redcurrant and raspberry add brightness, but it’s also quite textured with some silkiness and warmth on the mid-palate. Really good balance with enough structure, but overall quite smooth and enticing. 95/100
Fernbank Pinot Gris 2022 North Canterbury, New Zealand
There were quite a few Pinot Gris vines hiding in the Pinot Noir so they hand picked them separately and made this wine. Lively and bright with some texture, as well as nice hints of orange peel and cherry with a hint of mint mixed in with the citrus fruit.
Fernbank Chardonnay 2023 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Barrel aged in a new barrel with some new staves inside the barrel. The grapes come from a friend, and this is 0.25 ha with a full mix of clones. Bright with some toast and spice, as well as subtle woody notes, and then mandarin, pear and white peach fruit. 91/100
Fernbank Chardonnay 2024 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Same vineyard, made at Crater Rim. This has nice texture with ripe pear fruit and some white peach. Textural and expressive with lovely weight. Stylish. 92/100
