Pinot Noir 2022

An ethereal, perfumed pinot noir hailing from Marlborough’s Southern Valleys. Replete with an enticing combination of raspberries, red cherries and rose petal, underpinned by an elegant, finely structured tannin profile, with hints of cinnamon-clove spice and a dry, earthy finish.

Fruit was sourced from the historic Auntsfield Vineyard in the Ben Morven Valley and The Wrekin Vineyard at the head of the Brancott Valley. A mixture of 115, 667 and Abel clones are grown on wind-blown, loess clay soils overlying greywacke bedrock that typify the sub-region. A combination of low yields, organic and biodynamic practices allow the vines to ripen beautiful, black bunches of intensely flavoured fruit.

Picked two weeks apart, the fruit was harvested by hand and transported to the winery where it was chilled overnight. The majority of the fruit was then carefully destemmed into small fermentation vessels while a portion of whole-bunch fruit was also included.

After several days cold-soaking on skins, the fermentation spontaneously commenced by indigenous yeast and was followed by gentle, daily hand-plunging. Following fermentation the wine was drained off skins and transferred to a combination of seasoned French oak puncheons and barrels.

The wine was aged in oak for 11 months before being transferred out just in time for the 2022 harvest. Each batch was kept separate until May when the blend was assembled and then settled prior to bottling in July.

11 months in French oak puncheons and barrels (12% new), plus 5 months in stainless steel tanks before blending and bottling in July 2023.