The fruit for this wine was hand harvested in the cool Marlborough autumn mornings. Most was de-stemmed and transferred to various open top fermenting vats in the winery. Approximately 5% of the fruit was added to the fermenter as whole clusters. The fruit was then left to cold soak for 5-6 days prior to fermentation. The fermentation occurred spontaneously with yeast native to the vineyard. Extraction was done by hand-plunging (pigeage) 3-4 times daily to ensure gentle colour and flavour extraction. The temperature was allowed to peak at 32°C. The wine was then pressed off as soon as it reached dryness, and then racked to new (30%), 1 and 2 year old French oak barrels. The heavy pressings were kept separate. The wine was left to mature in barrel and underwent natural malo-lactic fermentation in spring.
【Tasting Notes】
Colour / Appearance: Deep ruby with a garnet hue. Aroma / Bouquet: Lifted red cherries and raspberry with hints of floral notes, underlined with aniseed and cinnamon spice notes. Palate: A medium-bodied wine with a silky, fine texture, this eloquent Pinot Noir displays notes of red and dark fruits. These fruit flavours are balanced with subtle oak char and spice notes. Cellaring: Will age well with careful cellaring for three to six years. Food Match: Enjoy this wine with game meats and venison.
