In the quiet limestone hills of the Waitaki Valley, where New Zealand’s South Island narrows and the land breathes in cool ocean air, Clos Ostler has carved out a singular identity. Founded in 1998 by Jim Jerram and Jeff Sinnott, the estate was born of a shared vision—to craft wines of purity and finesse from one of the country’s most marginal, yet promising, viticultural zones.

The estate vineyard, perched on north-facing slopes just west of Oamaru, rests on ancient, fossil-rich limestone—soils more often associated with the great regions of Burgundy than with New World landscapes. Combined with long, temperate growing seasons and diurnal shifts, the conditions offer a natural precision and tension to the fruit. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are the focus, varieties that respond with clarity to the site’s minerality and restraint.

Clos Ostler’s flagship wine, Caroline’s Pinot Noir, is a benchmark for the region. Sourced from the estate’s finest parcels, it is a wine of subtle power: red berries and wild herbs layered over graphite, with silken tannins and a persistent, mineral finish. It has garnered critical recognition not only for its elegance but for its capacity to reflect the unique voice of Waitaki.

Audrey’s Pinot Gris, named in homage to family, is no less expressive. Dry in style, it reveals layers of pear, almond blossom, and wet stone—lithe and lifted, with a touch of textural richness from lees aging. This wine, too, speaks clearly of place, its structure shaped more by soil than by winemaking.

In both the vineyard and the cellar, the approach is minimal. Hand harvesting, gentle pressing, indigenous yeasts, and low-intervention techniques preserve the integrity of the fruit. There is no rush in these wines—only patience, and a quiet confidence in what the land provides.

Clos Ostler remains a pioneering presence in the Waitaki Valley, a region still emerging but already marked by promise. With each vintage, the estate offers a distilled reflection of limestone, light, and coastal calm—elegant wines born from elemental terrain.