Natural State Pinot Noir 2022

The Natural State Pinot Noir is best enjoyed with a slight chill as this accentuates its fresh crisp nature. Our 2022 Pinot is incredibly aromatic with lush florals and bright red fruits. On the palate, it is ever evolving. It is a vibrant and fruitful Pinot Noir to start before seamlessly transitioning into a structured wine, reflecting its true identity and roots. Excellent persistence of length and natural acidity. From the SOUTHERRN HILLS not the valleys

Our distinctive hillside vineyard above the Waihopai Valley was planted in 2000 with a European approach, close vine spacing and high density (approx. 5,000/ha). We manage the vineyard according to principles of biodynamics and organics. Natural State Pinot Noir is from Clod Block, our youngest Pinot Noir block, which is typically Churton’s picked first. The 2019 growing season was an incredibly dry season with almost no rain between Christmas and harvest. The Clod block was picked in the middle of March and displayed great depth of flavour. Like all Churton Pinot Noir blocks, Clod is east facing allowing for even ripening of the berries with ripe seeds at the point of picking.

A single block Pinot Noir, Natural State Pinot Noir was fermented as two small parcels. Kept separate throughout the winemaking process, our Pinot was gently destemmed upon arrival to the winery then tipped into fermenters. The fruit was handled very minimally until natural fermentation occurred through indigenous yeast. The grape must was plunged lightly only twice daily. After a cool ferment, wine was pressed and put into barrels - total time on skins was 14 days, half a lunar month. Our 2019 Natural State Pinot Noir was aged in seasoned French oak barrels for three months and achieved a natural malolactic fermentation shortly after going into barrels. Racked once, our Pinot was bottled in August 2019 with no additions and low sulphur rates. Vegan friendly.

Older oak