Nautilus Estate of Malborough

Clive Jones joined Nautilus Estate as Winemaker in August 1998, and the 2011 season was his 20th vintage making wines from the Marlborough region. And he doesn't look a day over 21 himself!

Prior to joining Nautilus, Clive worked as an industrial chemist. Deciding the wine industry was perhaps a tastier career choice, he completed a degree in wine science by correspondence from Charles Sturt University. He then spent six years absorbing New Zealand’s Dalmatian wine heritage at Selaks Wines in Auckland before making the change to Marlborough’s better climate and more relaxed lifestyle.

Clive has overseen the development of the Nautilus Pinot Noir programme, including the design and operation of our specialised Pinot Noir Winery. As part of this, Clive made a pilgrimage to Burgundy in 2004 to work a vintage at renowned producer Domaine Dujac.

With a consistent pedigree going back to Clive’s first year at the estate, Nautilus Pinot Noir is today considered a Marlborough benchmark.

Clive is equally passionate about the other varietals he produces at Nautilus and designed the Nautilus White Wine Cellar in 2006 with Marlborough’s flagship white varietal, sauvignon blanc, firmly in mind. He more recently worked to refine the Nautilus Chardonnay style through low yields, wild ferments and minimal malolactic fermentation, which has resulted in a more complex and elegant style.

Clive is a respected member of the local winemaking community, recently joining the board of Wine Marlborough. He also represents the region on various panels and debates both locally and overseas.

Mike fell in love with wine whilst working as a sommelier in New Zealand during the mid 1980s. He soon decided his calling was in the vineyards however, and rolled up his sleeves for several vintages at various estates around Australia in the premium Barossa, Yarra, Coonawarra and Hunter regions. He consolidated this practical experience with a bachelor of applied science (wine science) at Roseworthy Agricultural College.

Returning to New Zealand in 1993, Mike worked for various producers gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience of growing premium wine grapes of various varietals and styles.

In 2002 a step up beckoned and Mike joined Blake Family Vineyards, based on Gimblett Road in Hawke's Bay, as Director of Viticulture.  During his tenure at the estate the wines won a number of trophies.

Mike arrived at Nautilus in August 2006 taking the role of Viticulturist, turning his attention from the premium Bordeaux blends he had focused on further north, to the different climate and terroir of Marlborough with its focus on aromatic whites and premium Pinot Noir. Attracted by the diversity and quality focus of Nautilus Estate’s vineyard holdings, Mike is intent on capturing the different expressions of each parcel in each different season, allowing the winemaking team to produce wines that are distinctly Marlborough in character, and with their own Nautilus Estate textural expression.

Growing up in Wellington, Tim’s life was turned slightly upside down when the family decided to move to Brussels during his time in secondary school. Tim’s time in Belgium was punctuated by weekend road trips to destinations such as the Rhine, Alsace, Burgundy and Champagne. Thus began a lifelong love for wine - and Belgian beer and chocolate!

Returning to New Zealand, Tim began studying Geology, before working a vintage at St. Clair in Marlborough and discovering one really could make a life working in wine. A change in studies followed, studying Viticulture & Oenology in Marlborough and later at Lincoln.

It was while studying in Marlborough that Tim worked his first vintage for Nautilus and worked hard to keep his foot in the door, joining the winery full time as Cellar Hand in 2010. Tim has worked vintages in the Barossa Valley, Oregon and Tuscany and is, to put it mildly, quite chuffed to now be Winemaker for Nautilus.

Tim’s life is intertwined with wine, meeting his wife (also a winemaker) while in the Barossa. He enjoys brewing beer, attempts fishing, dabbles in photography, and like many in the wine industry, is rather partial to great food, fine wine and good company.

Initially a chef, Adam worked his way through the kitchens of Europe, before returning to his passion of wine and thenceforth traded his chef whites for Burgundy stained teeth. Migrating back home to New Zealand to distribute fine European and domestic wines throughout New Zealand’s on premise, Adam eventually found himself moving with his family to Marlborough to work and live at Fromm Winery. After many years as Fromm’s Sales & Marketing Manager, during which time he moonlighted as their assistant winemaker, Adam found himself attracted to another winery in the region. Now the Sales & Marketing Manager of Nautilus Estate he feels very privileged to be taking our fines to the world.

Adam loves good honest wine, tasty food and any sport that is ever being played. He is also a big family man, with three lovely rug rats and a wonderful wife, all of whom are very much immersed in his life at Nautilus.