Deep in colour with intense berry aromatics and a hint of rose. Exceptional body with balanced acidity and silky tannins. Lively on the palate with rich plum, cherry and subtle spice notes.
From our Bendigo Estate vineyard which is BioGro certified organic and Demeter certified biodynamic; on grafted pinot noir clones, planted in 1998.The soils on the beautiful north facing slope are Waenga fine sandy loam and Letts steepland with an elevation from 217 – 264 metres, on 44.55° south.
A cooler than normal spring was replaced with a dry November and extremely warm December just in time to provide the perfect window for the critical flowering period. Dry warm conditions continued through into February reducing the soil moisture significantly however in late summer, we experienced above-average rainfall and a cold snap. After unexpected snowfalls in mid-April, harvesting was fast-tracked. Overall fruit quality was excellent with slightly lower acid and sugar levels than normal.
Hand-picked on the 26th March. Cold soaked for 5 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle hand plunging throughout ferment, followed by post-fermentation maceration of 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 25 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (100% two years old) where the wine aged for 15 months during which wild malolactic fermentation occurs. Bottled 24th June 2016, without fining and filtration. The winemaking was very much in keeping with the traditional practices of the Old World. Winemaker, Rudi Bauer, has combined these techniques, and his own personal understanding, to create this wine.
pH: 3.65, TA: 5.4g/l, Alc: 14.0%, Clone: 115 Bottling Date: 24th June 2016 Ageing Potential: 7 – 10 years Limited Release: Only 780 bottles produced
