Doctors Flat Vineyard

Doctors Flat sits on land once claimed by the 19th-century Deep Lead & Doctors Flat Mining Co., its name taken from an 1890 map of the Bannockburn Mining District. The vineyard's ancient soils—deep, gold-bearing gravels laid down by glaciers over 480,000 years ago—are key to the wine’s unique character. Elevated at around 300 metres and some 100m above Lake Dunstan, the site is cooler than most in Bannockburn, offering slower ripening and more finely etched flavours.

Steve Davies founded Doctors Flat in 2002, following winemaking stints in Bordeaux (Château Sénéjac), California (Newton, Saintsbury), Oregon, Burgundy, and Akarua in Central Otago. After years in large wineries, he turned his focus to something smaller and more personal—a vineyard he could nurture from soil to bottle.

From day one, Steve Davies has farmed the vineyard organically, focusing on soil vitality and balance. The three hectares are planted exclusively to Pinot Noir, using Dijon clones 114, 115, and 777 on VSP trellising. Though yields can be modest due to the cooler microclimate, the resulting fruit delivers purity, structure, and site-specific identity. 

In the cellar, Steve keeps things traditional and low-intervention. Small open-top fermenters (1–4 tonnes), hand plunging, whole bunch inclusion, and extended time on skins are all part of the process. The wine then matures for 12 months in French oak before a final settling period in tank. There is no fining, no filtration, just balance, texture, and the quiet power of place.