Saint Clair Pioneer Block 5 Bull Block Pinot Noir 2021

Colour: Dark garnet.

Aroma: Beautiful floral notes mixed with bright red berries.

Palate: Elegant and fruit driven in style with flavours of bright red cherry layered with spices. The wine has a silky structure and toasted oak on the lingering finish.

Ageing potential: Perfect for drinking immediately this wine will continue to develop for a further five years from vintage date and beyond.

Food Match: An ideal match with roasted rack of lamb with garlic, mustard and thyme.

Regional characteristics and contribution to uniqueness of flavours:

Warmer days and cooler nights with clay rich vigour-moderating soils all contribute to small berries which give this wine power, concentration and intensity.

Viticulture

The fruit was sourced predominantly from a single vineyard in the heart of the Omaka Valley, from 100 per cent clone 10/5. This vineyard is traditionally harvested later in the season allowing a long ripening period which increases the intensity of flavours.

The fruit was harvested when it reached full physiological ripeness and maximum flavour maturity. At the winery the fruit was held cold for five days prior to fermentation to help extract maximum flavour and enhance colour stability. Cultured yeast were selected to carry out primary alcoholic fermentation during which the fermenting must was hand plunged up to six times daily. At dryness the wine was pressed from skins, then racked off gross lees to a mixture of 33 per cent new French oak and older seasoned 225 litre oak barriques.

During maturation the barrels were regularly tasted until the right balance was achieved (9 months in oak). During its time in oak, the young wine completed malolactic fermentation. The wine was then gently and carefully extracted from oak, blended and prepared for bottling.