Natalie Christensen, Chief Winemaker at Yealands Wines, is a Breath of Fresh (New Zealand) Air

Who brings a breath of fresh New Zealand air to a cold and blustery winter day in Chicago? Natalie Christensen, Chief Winemaker at Yealands Wines, that’s who. She hosted an intimate wine tasting and luncheon with a few wine writers and media in the Chicago area and I was impressed. Besides appreciating elegant, distinctive sips of new vintages from Yealand’s United States portfolio I found Natalie’s authenticity engaging and the story of her path that led her to her current position with Yealands an intriguing one.

Five years ago, I met Peter Yealands, the patriarch of this multi-award-winning winery since 2008. Besides producing affordable, exceptional wines of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and more, Yealands Wines has been New Zealand’s leading environmentally sustainable winery based in the Awatere Valley, the most southern, coolest and driest of Marlborough’s growing regions. Peter Yealand’s vision then and now is to “create the world’s most environmentally-friendly wines” and he “embraces a holistic approach to sustainability that benefits both the environment and the quality of its wines. In fact, Yealands is New Zealand’s only Toitū carbonzero certified winery.

Enter Natalie Christensen who joined the winemaking team in 2015 and was appointed to the position of Chief Winemaker in 2019. She explained that her winemaking career began in 2006 with a stint at Saint Clair Family Estate where she eventually assumed the role of Assistant Winemaker. Natalie became Winemaker at Matahiwi Estate in Wairarapa after which she traveled to Galicia in Spain to work with the Jorge Ordenez Group on their Albarino project in Rias Baixas and their Moscatel project in Malaga. Along the way, Natalie experienced harvests in both Bordeaux and Oregon.

Hands-on experience aside, Natalie also holds a Bachelor of Music from Canterbury University, a Master of Science degree with first class honors and a Graduate Diploma in Oenology (she graduated top in her class). The Drinks Business honored her as one of the World’s Most Influential Women in Wine in 2018 and she mentors “up-and-coming women in the industry and worked as a mentor in the 2018 Women in Wine program run by New Zealand Winegrowers.” And oh yeah, Natalie Christensen was a volunteer firefighter and is a classically trained double bass player.

The custom menu choices at Victory Italian were exceptional pairings with the delicious wines we tasted and along the way, Natalie shared her thoughts. Our first course was an abundance of oysters on the half shell followed by a Greek salad with feta cheese. Both dishes helped reveal the nuances and layers of complexity of each Sauvignon Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($14.99) from selected parcels in their Awatere Valley vineyards is considered Yealands’ flagship wine. It offered fresh and clean notes of smoke, lime and bright citrus and, as I expected, snappy acidity. From higher altitude, protected vineyard parcels, Estate Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($23.99) exuded bright, lively aromas and flavors of herbs, jalapeno, salt, river rocks and juicy citrus. Likewise, Estate Single Block S1 Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($29.99) was incredibly balanced with vibrant, unique fruit flavors and breezy salinity thanks, in part, to the block’s sunny site moderated by coastal breezes.

Two new offerings from the winery are now available. Yealands’ L5 block is located on the coastline on the coolest, most extreme site of their Seaview Vineyard. Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($29.99) presented a vibrant expression of fruit and striking acidity that were absolutely brilliant with the raw oysters.

Crafted in a style that can age, Estate Winemaker’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2018 ($54.99) was the sole Sauvignon Blanc that was fermented in a variety of vessels that include a concrete egg, French oak oval and a selection of older 500L and 225L French oak barrels. A portion of the wine in barrel underwent malolactic fermentation and after nine months on the lees, the wine was blended and bottled. This wine had weight, depth and a palate profile that was complex and luxurious.

Elegant, savory pairings with the baby lamb chops served with wild mushroom risotto were two Pinot Noirs. The first Pinot Noir 2018 ($18.99) was from low-yielding blocks and offered notes of pepper, spice and dark red fruit. This well-priced selection was aged in French oak while undergoing malolactic fermentation prior to blending and bottling.

An outstanding selection, Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 ($30.99) was of grapes cultivated on two different parcels with distinct micro-climates in Yealands’ Seaview Vineyard. Dense, fruit-forward and rich, this memorable wine was Burgundian in style and its broad profile was a luscious pairing to the succulent baby lamp chops.

From what I learned and observed that day in Chicago, wines from Yealands are in skilled hands with Natalie Christensen as Yealands Wines Chief Winemaker. She firmly believes that “the grapes will let me know what the wine style shall be” and is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her role. Natalie is a community leader, a passionate mentor, a creative thinker (spoiler alert: a parcel of Albarino has been planted at Yealands…), an outstanding winemaker. And a breath of fresh New Zealand air to all who are fortunate to meet her.

Cheers! ~ Cindy

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